Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have developed a nanoparticle radiation technique to deliver radiation straightaway to the brain tumor and make it stay there.
The technique delivers 20 to 30 folds more levels of radiation to the tumor when compared to the dosage levels of existing radiation therapies, without affecting most of the healthy brain tissues. The researchers have successfully tested the technique in lab experiments. Now, they are working on initiating a clinical study of this method at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center. They plan to start the study by summer.
The clinical study will be lead by Andrew Brenner, a neuro-oncologist at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center. Brenner informed that the researchers have demonstrated the complete eradication of tumors in animal models by safely delivering higher levels of radiation. Rhenium-186, an isotope with shorter half-life, was used for emitting the radiation. After putting the rhenium inside the tumor, the isotope emits radiation of only a few millimeters.
Since there is a possibility for the tiny rhenium particles to be carried away by the bloodstream, making them to stay inside the tumor is equally important. To overcome this issue, a research team comprising doctors from the School of Medicine at the Health Science Center developed a method. The team used tiny fat molecules or liposomes having a diameter of 100 nm to encapsulate the isotope particles. Brenner explained that liposomes can only be loaded to these higher levels of radiation.
The research findings have been reported in the journal, Neuro-Oncology.
Source: http://www.uthscsa.edu