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Using lasers and nanoballoons to battle cancer
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Encapsulation of chemotherapeutic drugs in a ‘nanoballoon’ that can be activated by red laser to ‘pop’ and release its contents at the target site could improve efficiency of cancer treatment. The system is the subject of a new paper to be published on 3rd April in Nature Communications from researchers in the University of Buffalo, the University of Albany, Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo in the USA; and the University of Waterloo and McMaster University, both in Ontario, Canada.

While chemotherapeutic drugs are very effective against tumours, it can be a challenge to deliver them to the tumour site. They tend to interact along the way with healthy body tissues and blood, diluting their effectiveness and contributing to unpleasant side effects. In the current paper, the researchers encapsulated chemotherapeutic drugs in a modified liposome termed a ‘nanoballoon’ or ‘PoP liposome’. They consist of an organic compound called porphyrin and phospholipid. The nanoballoons are designed to protect the chemotherapeutic drugs from unwanted interactions along the way to the target site.

In in vivo experiments on mice, the researchers delivered the drug-laden nanoballoon intravenously and then hit them with red laser light at the target site, causing the nanoballoons to pop and release the drugs. The nanoballoons served a dual purpose in also sampling the tumour environment. This was achieved as once the laser was turned off, the nanoballoons closed up again, gathering in proteins and molecules from the environment. They could then be retrieved by drawing blood or taking a biopsy. This type of delivery and retrieval would be viable in human cancer patients.

Senior author on the paper, Dr Jonathan Lovell of the University of Buffalo explained: "Think of it this way…..The nanoballoon is a submarine. The drug is the cargo. We use a laser to open the submarine door which releases the drug. We close the door by turning the laser off. We then retrieve the submarine as it circulates through the bloodstream."

Studies are ongoing to determine why the treatment is so effective in tumour destruction in mice and in optimisation of the method. Dr Lovell says that human trials may be underway within five years.

Sources

Press release: University of Buffalo; available from http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2...040114.php [Accessed 3 April 2014].
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