Cancer experts have called for laser treatments to become an alternative to surgery

Cancer experts have called for pioneering laser treatments to become a mainstream alternative to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The specialists, based at leading British medical treatment and research centres, have teamed up to launch a national campaign to raise awareness and boost funding for research.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) uses a combination of non-thermal lasers with special photo-sensitive dyes for the selective removal of unwanted tissue, including solid tumours.

According to the experts, it offers an alternative to invasive surgery or the side effects associated with strong radiation and chemical therapies - but it is not universally available on the NHS.

The procedure involves putting a non-toxic dye on the affected area, before shining a high intensity light on the tissue to destroy it.

Cardio-thoracic surgeon and laser pioneer Professor Keyvan Moghissi said: "PDT offers a real 'ray of hope' for a large number of cancer patients and should have equal status as a treatment alongside chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

"Leaders in this field from across the UK decided they needed to form a specialist group to raise the profile of PDT within the NHS and PCTs consistently across the UK and to collaborate to attract funding for future research on a coordinated national basis which will support advances in such areas as personalised drugs (dyes) and techniques that could revolutionise cancer treatment."

The campaigners have set up the UK PDT Charitable Trust, chaired by Prof Moghissi.

At its launch at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, experts will discuss the potential of PDT during a mini symposium.

In addition to Yorkshire-based Prof Moghissi, speakers will include Dr Ernest Allen, from Christie Hospital in Manchester, who will discuss skin cancer treatments, Hull University's Dr Ross Boyle on fighting "superbugs" and Sam Eljamel, from Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee, discussing brain tumours.