Innovative Magnetic Nanoparticles Developed by Indian Scientists to Enhance Cancer Therapies
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Synopsis
A team from the IASST has developed innovative magnetic nanoparticles that enhance cancer treatments by employing magnetic hyperthermia, offering fewer side effects and a targeted approach to therapy.
Key Takeaways
- New magnetic nanoparticles enhance cancer treatment.
- Employs magnetic hyperthermia to target tumor cells.
- Reduces side effects compared to traditional therapies.
- Research published in Nanoscale Advances journal.
- Potential for alternative cancer therapy methods.
New Delhi, April 7 (NationPress) A dedicated group of researchers from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an independent institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has created cutting-edge magnetic nanoparticles aimed at improving cancer treatment methodologies.
The newly engineered magnetic system utilizes nanoparticles to treat cancer by elevating the temperature of tumor cells. This innovative approach employs a technique known as magnetic hyperthermia, which effectively addresses cancer.
Cancer remains one of the gravest health challenges facing humanity today. Among the numerous treatment options available, the most commonly utilized methods include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and stem cell transplants.
However, all these cancer treatment approaches are often accompanied by various side effects.
Moreover, the costs associated with these treatments can be prohibitive, making them inaccessible to a significant portion of the population.
The IASST team concentrated on nanomagnets, which enabled a targeted heat generation mechanism (hyperthermia) to specifically attack cancer cells.
This treatment option offers relatively fewer side effects and is managed via an external magnetic field.
Given the influence of numerous physical factors of nanomagnets on their self-heating efficiency, creating and controlling bio-friendly coated magnetic nanoparticles with high heat generation efficiency poses a challenge.
Consequently, the researchers synthesized nanocrystalline cobalt chromite magnetic nanoparticles with varying concentrations of rare-earth Gd dopants using a traditional chemical co-precipitation method.
The inhomogeneous fluid form of these magnetic nanoparticles was subsequently employed to generate heat when subjected to an alternating magnetic field.
According to the researchers, the heat generation technique of magnetic nanoparticles can be utilized to treat cancer cells by raising the cell temperature to 46 degrees Celsius for a specified duration, resulting in necrosis in the compromised cells when applied to targeted cancer sites.
Thus, superparamagnetic nanoparticles serve as nano-heaters and hold potential for use in magnetic hyperthermia applications to treat cancer, providing an alternative avenue for cancer therapy.
These significant findings have recently been published in Nanoscale Advances, a peer-reviewed journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK.
