Lung tumors are difficult to remove using current surgical techniques due to their location in the lung. Also, there are multiple tumors which are too small to observe. They develop natural barriers to prevent drugs and immune cells from reaching tumor cells. To overcome this challenge, the researchers have come up with a new study. A new and promising approach for the treatment of lung cancer using smart nanoparticles has been developed by researchers at Lund University. This new study has been published in Advanced Therapeutics. The treatment combines a novel surgical approach with smart nanoparticles for specifically targeting lung tumors.
Darcy Wagner, Associate Professor and Head of the research group said, “Patients often receive high doses of chemotherapeutics which are circulated through the entire body and lead to major side effects in other organs. While a number of new experimental therapies have been developed for lung cancer and have shown promise in the lab, a major remaining challenge has been how to deliver the right drug specifically to these difficult to reach tumors.”
The team of researchers has developed a novel surgical technique which introduces nanoparticles into the blood vessels of the lung. They found that the blood vessels around and in tumor are different than those in normal organs. They used this difference to their benefit to direct nanoparticles to the interior of lung tumors. The team also used animal models which have full immune system and closely resemble the types of lung tumors. This approach combined with features of smart nanoparticles promises to come up as a potential new lung cancer treatment.
The development of this new approach is a significant step in the arena of lung cancer treatment, but it is important to validate the therapeutic potential of this approach to deliver specific chemotherapeutics.
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