**6. Conclusion and future directions**

PDT for malignant gliomas is an interesting additional therapeutic tool with low side effects. By fundamentally distinct mechanisms compared to radiochemotherapy PDT also offers new opportunities for patients with tumor relapse. Hypericin seems to be a quite effective fluorescence marker for the detection of glioma. Since hypericin exhibits excellent photosensitizing properties, as demenostrated in detail *in vitro,* it might also be a promising PS in glioma therapy. Further *in vivo* investigations will proof this hypothesis in future. Due to high induction of apoptosis by hypericin mediated PDT, further investigations should focus on anti-tumor immunity by hypericin PDT, a chance to be more than only a local therapeutic tool.
