Dr. Mahmoud Hashem Discusses Photodynamic Therapy for Diagnosis and Treatment of Malignant Tumors and Malaria Control
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The Bibliotheca Alexandrina has hosted a lecture titled “Photodynamic Therapy for Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Malignant Tumors and Malaria Control and Harmful Insects,” organized by the Center for Special Studies and Programs (CSSP) and delivered by Prof. Mahmoud Hashem Abdel-Qader, Professor Emeritus of Photochemistry at Cairo University and Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the European Universities in Egypt. The event was attended by Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and Dr. Yousry El-Gamal, former Minister of Education, and was introduced by Dr. Marwa El-Wakil, Head of the Library’s Academic Research Sector.
The lecture addressed the importance of early diagnosis and the treatment of malignant diseases using Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), which is one of the latest applications to have been successfully utilized. This technique offers new hope for cancer patients due to its extreme precision in targeting only the affected cells and the absence of side effects compared to available conventional treatments—whether chemotherapy or radiation—while strengthening the patient’s immune system, in addition to other advantages including shorter treatment times, lower costs, and a steady increase in cure rates. This technology has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European accreditation and is already being applied in several developed countries.
The lecture also showcased a pioneering Egyptian innovation to combat malaria, filariasis, dengue fever, parasites, and harmful agricultural insects using photovoltaic technology. The innovation relies on harnessing direct sunlight and chlorophyll, which mosquito larvae feed on; in the presence of sunlight, the oxygen within the larvae’s tissues is converted into “active oxygen,” which completely kills the larvae.