Nanotechnology has been found to improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy. People who are likely to develop peritoneal cancer in the future may benefit from the new research.
Astrid Hyldbakk, who recently completed her doctorate at NTNU’s Department of Physics, asserts that “this patient group needs more effective treatment methods.” She is now working as a researcher in biotechnology and nanomedicine for SINTEF Industries.
The peritoneal cavity is frequently affected by cancer that has spread to the stomach and intestines. Because it is difficult to detect peritoneal cancer, the disease frequently progresses long before treatment begins. Sadly, the treatment methods frequently fail.
According to Hyldbakk, “patients with peritoneal cancer do not have a good prognosis” due to “late diagnoses” and “ineffective treatment.”
“Patients with peritoneal cancer have a poor prognosis due to late diagnosis and ineffective treatment,”
Astrid Hyldbakk
Chemotherapy drugs in the peritoneal cavity for too little time Surgery and chemotherapy to kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery are the most common treatments for peritoneal cancer today.
“In any case, the chemotherapy drugs don’t remain in the stomach hole for enough time to work appropriately,” says Hyldbakk.
Chemotherapy drugs can also spread to healthy parts of the body, causing harm and serious side effects there. However, Hyldbakk’s research raises the possibility of better treatment.
“We are able to keep the medicine in the cavity for a longer period of time by encasing it in tiny nanoparticles. According to Hyldbakk, “We can also specifically design these nanoparticles to deliver the drugs primarily to cancer cells rather than to healthy cells.”
As part of her dissertation, Hyldbakk investigated this approach. She collaborated with groups conducting research at the Oslo University Hospital Radium Hospital, SINTEF, and NTNU. The examination is distributed in the diary Nanomedicine: Biology, Nanotechnology, and Medicine.
“The cytotoxic agent was contained within nanoparticles by us. One ten-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter, these measure about 100 nanometers. According to Hyldbakk, “We injected these into the peritoneum of mice and rats.”
To put it another way, this treatment is still not quite ready to be used on humans. However, Hyldbakk’s outcomes look promising.
“The drug particles remain in the peritoneal cavity longer and bind specifically to the tumors, where they open and release the cytotoxic agent directly to the cancer cells.” Binds to tumors and releases medicine According to Hyldbakk, “the drug’s efficacy is increased and the side effects are reduced because a greater amount of the medication reaches these cancer cells rather than the healthy tissue.”
The research groups believe that nanoparticle-based chemotherapy delivery is an extremely promising new treatment option for peritoneal cancer patients. However, additional research is required.
“To ensure that the treatment is both safe and effective, we now need to thoroughly characterize and test this method.” Before we can use the technology on humans, this is an important step,” Hyldbakk states.
The company NaDeNo was founded by SINTEF researchers last year. In collaboration with SINTEF and the Norwegian Radium Hospital, this company will be in charge of future projects. It is hoped that in the not-too-distant future, they will also be able to offer this technology to patients.
More information: Astrid Hyldbakk et al, Intraperitoneal administration of cabazitaxel-loaded nanoparticles in peritoneal metastasis models, Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2023.102656
