Light-activated nanoparticles could help surgeons find and destroy brain cancer remnants
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer. It's difficult to treat because tumor cells infiltrate the surrounding brain tissue, making it hard for surgeons to remove the cancer completely without damaging healthy tissue. Treatment is further complicated by the blood-brain barrier, which limits how well drugs and radiation therapy reach the brain. All these factors contribute to a…
Glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, is difficult to treat due to tumor cells infiltrating healthy brain tissue and the blood-brain barrier limiting drug and radiation therapy effectiveness. This results in a low five-year survival rate of around 7%. Researchers have developed a novel nanozyme platform that can both guide surgeons during the operation and provide targeted phototherapy after to destroy remaining cancer cells.
The smart nanoparticles respond to near-infrared light, switching between imaging and therapeutic functions. During surgery, the material acts as a sensitive imaging agent, allowing surgeons to detect individual tumor cell clusters as small as 44 micrometers. Post-surgery, the same material is reactivated to generate oxygen from the tumor's own hydrogen peroxide, enhancing heat and reactive species that destroy microscopic cancer cells.
In mouse models, this approach resulted in 100% survival at 60 days after surgery, compared to 42 days with surgery alone, without causing neurological or motor deficits. However, further research in humans is needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of this new treatment.
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