Given that p53 is a tumor suppressor that plays a central role in the cellular response to DNA damage and that more than 50% of all cancers have mutated p53, the wider utility of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of cancer will depend on an understanding of whether p53 status modulates response to PDT. In this study, we investigated the photosensitivity of isogenic cell lines that differ only in their p53 status to PDT using hypericin as the photosensitizer.