Researchers Develop Wireless Implant to Kill Cancer Cells in Brain Tumors
Glioblastoma is a deadly and aggressive type of cancer that develops in an individual’s brain or spinal cord. This fatal cancer, which has a 15-month median survival time, claims the lives of more than 10,000 Americans annually.
Treatment for brain tumors usually involves surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Surgery is then followed by radiation or chemotherapy, which involves many visits to the hospital and severe side effects.
Now, scientists at Stanford Med may have developed a new way to treat brain tumors. They have designed a small wireless implant that can treat patients with brain tumors by eliminating cancer cells painlessly, thus eliminating the need for anesthesia. The researchers collaborated with electrical engineering associate professor Ada Poon to design the implant.
This device is remotely activated and works by using infrared light to activate the nanoparticles that have already been introduced in the tumor. This helps eliminate these cancerous cells gradually over repeated treatments without causing damage to surrounding tissue in the brain.
The researchers also designed the gold nanoparticles used, which they introduced to the tumor via a tiny hole drilled into the skull. This mode of treatment is referred to as photothermal treatment. In the past, it could only be performed during operations when the brain tumor was exposed to a light source.
For their research, the scientists used mice models with brain tumors to determine the device’s effectiveness. They implanted this device between the skin and the skull of the mice then administered the treatment daily for 15 minutes over a 15-day period. They observed that this was enough to significantly increase the survival time of the mice.
The mice that received the treatment lived considerably longer than the mice that didn’t, with scientists observing that combining this new treatment with chemotherapy enabled the animals to live even longer.
Colead author of the research Hamed Arami stated that the nanoparticles helped the implant target the tumor only during treatment, which would reduce the side effects greatly. The researchers also demonstrated that the nanoparticles did not damage any surrounding tissue and remained at the site of the tumor. They noted in their report that adjusting the wavelength and power of light enabled them to target tumors in different locations and sizes in the brain, adding that the dosage of nanoparticles was also altered to generate the required amount of heat.
The study was published in the “Nature Nanotechnology” journal.
Many for-profit entities such as QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) are making considerable investments in the quest to advance cancer treatment, and these efforts are likely to result in more options for those with a cancer diagnosis.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QSAM
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the BioMedWire website applicable to all content provided by BMW, wherever published or re-published: http://BMW.fm/Disclaimer
Glioblastoma is a deadly and aggressive type of cancer that develops in an individual’s brain or spinal cord. This fatal cancer, which has a 15-month median survival time, claims the lives of more than 10,000 Americans annually.
Treatment for brain tumors usually involves surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Surgery is then followed by radiation or chemotherapy, which involves many visits to the hospital and severe side effects.
Now, scientists at Stanford Med may have developed a new way to treat brain tumors. They have designed a small wireless implant that can treat patients with brain tumors by eliminating cancer cells painlessly, thus eliminating the need for anesthesia. The researchers collaborated with electrical engineering associate professor Ada Poon to design the implant.
This device is remotely activated and works by using infrared light to activate the nanoparticles that have already been introduced in the tumor. This helps eliminate these cancerous cells gradually over repeated treatments without causing damage to surrounding tissue in the brain.
The researchers also designed the gold nanoparticles used, which they introduced to the tumor via a tiny hole drilled into the skull. This mode of treatment is referred to as photothermal treatment. In the past, it could only be performed during operations when the brain tumor was exposed to a light source.
For their research, the scientists used mice models with brain tumors to determine the device’s effectiveness. They implanted this device between the skin and the skull of the mice then administered the treatment daily for 15 minutes over a 15-day period. They observed that this was enough to significantly increase the survival time of the mice.
The mice that received the treatment lived considerably longer than the mice that didn’t, with scientists observing that combining this new treatment with chemotherapy enabled the animals to live even longer.
Colead author of the research Hamed Arami stated that the nanoparticles helped the implant target the tumor only during treatment, which would reduce the side effects greatly. The researchers also demonstrated that the nanoparticles did not damage any surrounding tissue and remained at the site of the tumor. They noted in their report that adjusting the wavelength and power of light enabled them to target tumors in different locations and sizes in the brain, adding that the dosage of nanoparticles was also altered to generate the required amount of heat.
The study was published in the “Nature Nanotechnology” journal.
Many for-profit entities such as QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) are making considerable investments in the quest to advance cancer treatment, and these efforts are likely to result in more options for those with a cancer diagnosis.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QSAM
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the BioMedWire website applicable to all content provided by BMW, wherever published or re-published: http://BMW.fm/Disclaimer
