1 Guidance

1 Guidance

1.1

Current evidence on the safety of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for early-stage oesophageal cancer appears adequate. PDT appears efficacious in reducing tumour bulk in carefully selected patients with small early-stage tumours. However, the current evidence is of poor quality and relates only to short-term outcomes; it is therefore not adequate to support the use of this procedure without special arrangements for consent, audit and clinical governance.

1.2

Clinicians wishing to undertake PDT for early-stage oesophageal cancer should take the following actions.

1.3

Further research will be useful, and clinicians are encouraged to enter patients into well-designed trials and to collect longer-term follow-up data. NICE may review the procedure upon publication of further evidence.