Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new way to selectively insert compounds into cancer cells – a system that will help surgeons identify malignant tissues and then, in combination with phototherapy, kill any remaining cancer cells after a tumour is removed. The findings, published in the journal Nanoscale, have shown success in laboratory animals.
Oleh Taratula, an assistant professor in the OSU College of Pharmacy, explained: “With this approach, cancerous cells and tumours will literally glow and fluoresce when exposed to near-infrared light, giving the surgeon a precise guide about what to remove. That same light will activate compounds in the cancer cells that will kill any malignant cells that remain. It’s an exciting new approach to help surgery succeed.”
The work is based on the use of a known compound called naphthalocyanine, which has some unusual properties when exposed to nearinfrared light. It can make a cell glow as a guide to surgeons; heat the cell to kill it; and produce reactive oxygen species that can also kill it.
