Combination therapy pops cancer drug bubbles inside liver tumours

Researchers in the US have discovered a novel method for repositioning a federally approved anti-cancer compound so it can specifically target liver cancer tumours.

A 'triple attack' technique combining chemotherapy, thermal ablation, and hyperthermia is said to have provided a highly targeted, minimally invasive approach.

"In this study, we re-purposed the topical agent bexarotene (Targretin) - currently in limited use for cutaneous manifestations of T-cell lymphomas - and re-engineered it for use in solid tumour applications by forming self-assembling nanobubbles," said Dipanjan Pan, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who led the study. "These tiny bubbles filled with Targretin in 'prodrug' form can be 'popped' to release the drug inside liver cancer cells, activating the prodrug during cellular internalisation process. The probability of its undesired systemic release is minimal due to this highly selective activation mechanism, which helps to spare the healthy cells."