Researchers have developed “smart” nanoparticles that light up aggressive brain-tumor cells during surgery and destroy microscopic remnants afterward. In mice, the method fully prevented recurrence – but human use is still a long way off.
The problem with glioblastoma
Glioblastoma is considered the most aggressive form of brain tumor. Because the cancer cells spread into surrounding healthy tissue, complete surgical removal is extremely difficult – surgeons must spare healthy brain tissue. This is exactly where the new nanoparticles come in.
One tool for both jobs
The “nanozyme” platform, developed by researchers at the University of Technology Sydney, Harvard University and Henan University, handles both: it makes hidden tumor cells light up during surgery and then destroys the microscopic remnants left behind.
Promising – but only in mice
In animal experiments, every treated mouse survived the first 60 days (compared with 42 days after surgery alone), with no detectable neurological damage. The researchers stress, however, that this is early-stage basic research in a mouse model, not in humans.
Sources: ScienceDaily, phys.org.
