Can the choice of photosensitizier influence the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma with photodynamic therapy? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This project consists of a systematic review and meta-analysis designed to investigate whether the choice of photosensitizer influences the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Photodynamic therapy has emerged as a minimally invasive therapeutic approach, and different photosensitizing agents have been proposed; however, uncertainty remains regarding their comparative effectiveness and safety. The primary objective of this review is to systematically evaluate and synthesize the available evidence on the impact of different photosensitizers on treatment outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Secondary objectives include assessing tumor response, recurrence rates, therapeutic effectiveness, and the occurrence of adverse effects associated with different photosensitizing agents. A comprehensive and systematic search will be conducted in major electronic databases to identify relevant preclinical and clinical studies. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment will be performed independently by at least two reviewers, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) and PRISMA-P guidelines. When sufficient methodological and clinical homogeneity is observed, a meta-analysis will be conducted to quantitatively synthesize the results. The expected outcomes of this review include identifying whether specific photosensitizers are associated with superior therapeutic efficacy or safety profiles in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The findings aim to support evidence-based decision-making, guide future clinical and experimental research, and contribute to the optimization of photodynamic therapy protocols in oral oncology.