Researchers at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, have achieved a significant breakthrough in brain cancer treatment by developing a precise method that utilizes a substantially lower dose of X-rays compared to traditional radiation therapies. The innovative approach, demonstrated to inhibit the growth of brain tumors in mice, holds promising implications for future clinical applications in humans.
Glioblastoma, the most prevalent type of brain cancer in adults, affects over 300,000 people globally each year. Current treatments involve using radiation, such as X-rays, to eliminate cancer cells. However, this method can inadvertently harm surrounding healthy cells, leading to undesirable side effects. The novel approach, known as radiodynamic therapy, involves injecting patients with compounds that generate cancer-killing free radicals when activated by low doses of X-rays.
The challenge with existing radiodynamic therapy compounds lies in their inability to accurately target cancer cells, often causing damage to healthy cells. The research, led by Prof. Pu Kanyi from NTU's School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biotechnology, introduces a groundbreaking compound named a molecular radio afterglow dynamic probe (MRAP). Unlike its predecessors, MRAP contains biochemicals and iodine but no heavy metals.
In experiments with mice carrying brain cancer, MRAPs were directly injected into the tumors, followed by a minimal dose of X-rays. The X-ray dosage was more than six times lower than conventional radiodynamic therapy methods. MRAPs absorbed the X-ray radiation and released cancer-killing free radicals only when encountering a specific enzyme produced in abundance by brain tumor cells.
Crucially, MRAPs did not produce free radicals in normal cells, indicating a lack of side effects. Mice treated with MRAPs survived twice as long as untreated mice, showing halted tumor growth and no apparent tissue damage or weight loss. The compounds were safely excreted through urine and feces.
The groundbreaking study suggests that this treatment method is expected to be safer with fewer side effects than existing approaches. A patent has been filed for MRAPs, and discussions with potential investors are underway. The research, deemed an important advance by experts, paves the way for precise cancer cell elimination, with plans to enhance MRAP's ability to target cancer cells and incorporate additional cancer-curbing functions in future studies.
More: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-01-compounds-brain-cancer-cells-energized.html
