Laser Therapy 

Carlos Pellegrini, MD, Ernest H. Rosenbaum, MD, and Malin Dollinger, MD 
Adapted for the Canadian edition by Norman
Marcon, MD 

Laser therapy involves the use of high-
intensity light to destroy tumor cells .  Lasers
are fairlynew weapons in the anticancer
arsenal, and their role is still limited. In a
few select cases laser therapy can cure a
cancer. But the technique is now used
mainly to relieve serious symptoms such
as bleeding or obstruction, especially when
the cancer can't be cured by surgery, radiation
or chemotherapy or when standard treatment
can't be used because of advanced age, malnutrition
or heart or pulmonary disease.