Researchers from Nagoya University in Japan have made a significant breakthrough in evaluating the effectiveness of near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) treatment using a biomarker based on microbubbles. By employing ultrasound technology to monitor the microbubbles, they were able to identify regions where the cancer therapy had not been fully applied. These findings have the potential to enhance the efficacy of NIR-PIT and establish it as a viable alternative treatment for various types of cancer.
NIR-PIT is an innovative and cutting-edge cancer treatment that combines the use of antibodies and near-infrared light to selectively eradicate cancer cells while safeguarding healthy tissues. The antibodies target and bind to proteins found in cancer cells, resulting in the creation of a light-absorbing substance called IR700. When exposed to near-infrared light, IR700 becomes activated and releases energy that effectively destroys cancer cells. NIR-PIT is being regarded as the fifth cancer treatment modality, joining the ranks of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and cancer immunotherapy. Advancing the effectiveness of this treatment technique is of paramount importance for cancer patients.
To successfully treat a tumor, healthcare providers must ascertain the ideal level of light intensity required to eliminate abnormal cell growth, while simultaneously minimizing damage to healthy cells. However, ensuring uniform irradiation of target cells during surgery becomes challenging due to light being reflected and scattered by host tissues. Given that inadequate light irradiation to the entire tumor may result in undertreatment, physicians require a reliable indicator to assess the therapy’s effectiveness.
Dr. Kazuhide Sato, from Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, and his team of collaborators embarked on investigating disparities between tumor vessels and host cells to identify an optimal approach. Previous studies have documented irregular shapes, cell gaps, and poor drainage in tumor vessels. This impaired drainage facilitates the retention of therapeutic nanoparticles in tumors during NIR-PIT treatment. Subsequently, these nanoparticles enter cancerous tissue, resulting in an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, which produces a therapeutic response.
In NIR-PIT treatment, the swift death of tumor cells caused by the therapy augments permeability within tumor vessels. This triggers a “super EPR effect” (SUPR), a phenomenon where the EPR effect can be twenty-four times higher compared to other therapies. The occurrence of the SUPR effect across the entire tumor suggests successful treatment, while its confinement to specific areas signifies a lower likelihood of treatment success.
To evaluate this, the researchers examined whether larger fluorescent nanoparticles, such as Sonazoid microbubbles, could be effectively retained by exploiting the increased permeability. Microbubbles present a straightforward method for measuring the SUPR effect, as they can be easily detected by reflecting harmonic signals off them.
“We investigated with larger-sized fluorescent particles of 2 mm and 5 mm sizes,” stated Sato. “We found that retention increased with both sizes.” By employing ultrasound imaging to track the microbubbles, they introduced a novel biomarker that allows for the measurement of the SUPR effect before and after treatment, thereby evaluating the effectiveness of NIR-PIT. Sato further explained that “the higher the retention, the higher the anti-tumor effect of NIR-PIT.”
Sato anticipates that this significant discovery will significantly improve the treatment of cancer patients. “Using this new concept, we could confirm and predict the effects of the treatment after NIR light irradiation,” he stated. This holds particular importance for patients who receive inadequate treatment, as additional irradiation could be flexibly administered. As ultrasound imaging equipment is already prevalent in most healthcare facilities and the microbubble contrast agent used in this study is already approved, translating this technology into clinical practice is expected to be relatively straightforward.
This groundbreaking research was conducted in collaboration with various institutions within Nagoya University, including the Graduate School of Medicine, the Institute of Advanced Research, the Graduate School of Engineering, and the Institutes of Innovation for Future Society, as well as the Institute for Quantum Life Science and JST. The findings were published in EBioMedicine (The Lancet).
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- Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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