We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

HospiMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Medica 2024 AI Critical Care Surgical Techniques Patient Care Health IT Point of Care Business Focus

Wireless Breast Implant Delivers Tumor-Selective Light to Kill Cancer Cells

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 20 Jul 2023

Breast cancer is the leading cancer type affecting women, and its treatment often involves multifaceted approaches, including surgery to remove the cancerous growth and affected lymph nodes. Research indicates that patient satisfaction has improved with breast conserving therapy (BCT), a procedure involving the removal of only the tumor and a surrounding margin post-mastectomy. BCT necessitates radiotherapy following lumpectomy, a procedure to remove other abnormal and some normal tissue from the breast. As radiotherapy aims to damage the tumor, there exists a minor risk of toxicity to the skin, lung, heart, and remaining breast tissues.

In an effort to mitigate these side effects and enhance patient care, a multidisciplinary team of medical researchers, bioengineers and clinicians from the National University of Singapore (NUS, Singapore) has effectively administered tumor-specific light treatment to breast cancer cells. This treatment method, termed photodynamic therapy, has demonstrated efficacy in preclinical breast cancer models. The team sought to enhance the delivery of light to tumors embedded deeper within the skin tissue. For this, they developed a biocompatible silicone breast implant infused with nanoparticles that can be activated by near-infrared light, capable of penetrating tissues deeply.


Image: New tumor-selective light treatment could kill breast cancer cells with greater accuracy (Photo courtesy of NUS)
Image: New tumor-selective light treatment could kill breast cancer cells with greater accuracy (Photo courtesy of NUS)

This light can then be converted into visible light needed to activate 5-ALA, an FDA-approved, light-activated drug that triggers a tumor-killing effect without harming cells in other areas. This photodynamic therapy represents a valuable addition to the existing suite of breast cancer treatments. If used in conjunction with conventional treatments, photodynamic therapy could potentially reduce disease burden and indirectly help minimize treatment-related toxicities associated with conventional therapies.

“This discovery has the potential to significantly augment existing breast cancer therapies. Being able to selective destroy tumor cells without inducing adjacent tissue damage confers a significant advantage in cancer treatment,” said Assistant Professor Daniel Teh from NUS Medicine. “While it will probably not replace existing mainstream treatment modalities, it may still indirectly lead to a reduction in chemotherapy and/or radiation dosage by improving local tumor control.”

Related Links:
National University of Singapore


Gold Member
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Sample-To-Answer Test
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Cartridge (CE-IVD)
New
Gold Member
X-Ray QA Meter
T3 AD Pro
New
Plasma Freezer
iBF125-GX
New
Mobile Power Procedure Chair
LeMans P360

Latest Surgical Techniques News

Endoscopic Surgical System Enables Remote Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Novel Neural Interface to Help Diagnose and Treat Neurological Disorders with Minimal Surgical Risks

New Lens System for Endoscopes Offers Physicians Unprecedented View of Inside the Body