[Current trends in photodynamic therapy of neoplasms and non-neoplastic diseases].

The photodynamic therapy of tumors is a modern therapeutic modality for organ-preserving treatment of oncological diseases. The method is based on selective laser irradiation of tumor tissues previously sensitized by tumorotropic dyes. During the last decades, photodynamic therapy has become worldwide known as a proper approach to the treatment of the patients with malignant tumors of various locations and a number of nontumoral diseases. The characteristics of modern photosensitizers and light sources for photodynamic therapy and their clinical applications are reviewed.