Morphological Changes in Malignant Tumor Cells at Photodynamic Treatment Assessed by Digital Holographic Microscopy

The paper presents an investigation of cell death dynamics and changes of cellular morphology induced by the intracellular generation of singlet oxygen as a result of photodynamic treatment. The response of kidney carcinoma, osteosarcoma, and skin melanoma cells to photodynamic treatment was analyzed through the changes in their thickness, average phase shift, and refractive index distribution. It was demonstrated that an irradiation dose of 42 J results in the necrosis of sarcoma and kidney carcinoma cells, although melanoma cells show no statistically significant changes in optical or morphological parameters.