Jennifer Matthews: Allison Jaccard is not talking about her life, but she could be. Two years ago, this mother was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx.
Allison Jaccard: This type of cancer is usually thought to be in people who have smoked for years, and I was never a smoker or a drinker.
Jennifer Matthews: She had surgery, but it didn't get all the cancer. She was offered an alternative treatment at the University of Maryland, using laser light therapy.
Dr. Paul Castellanos: It is extremely exciting, I will tell you, for several reasons, not the least of which it's working.
Jennifer Matthews: Doctor Paul Castellanos uses a light-sensitive drug activated by a laser to destroy cancer cells. Through this device, the laser is directed to the cancer cells, killing them while healthy cells survive. The laser activates the drug to produce a toxic form of oxygen that kills the cancer.
Dr. Paul Castellanos: It's allowing us to take care of cancers of the throat and oral cavity without having to do ablations of those tissues that can have a devastating effect on the patient's voice.
Jennifer Matthews: In a study of people with early stage cancers of the mouth, throat and larynx, after one treatment, nearly 90% showed no evidence of the disease.
It worked for Allison. She's been cancer-free since getting the treatment.
Allison Jaccard: The thing that it's done for me is to make you realize just how precious everything you have is. So, it just gives you a perspective of what's important.
Jennifer Matthews: This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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