Heated magnetic nanoparticles pushed further in fight against cancer

This is the conclusion from new research led by the University at Buffalo (UB), New York, where scientists are developing nanoparticles that can attack tumours with significant amounts of heat under a low magnetic field. The study was published online on June 21 in Small.

“The main accomplishment of our work is the greatly enhanced heating performance of nanoparticles under low-field conditions suitable for clinical applications,” said Hao Zeng, PhD, professor of physics in the UB College of Arts and Sciences, who led the project.” The best heating power we obtained is close to the theoretical limit, greatly surpassing some of the best-performing particles that other research teams have produced.”

He said the therapy has a number of potential benefits over other treatment routes as it is minimally invasive, and is not expected to generate the type of side effects associated with chemotherapy and radiation.

“The treatment will only heat up the region where nanoparticles are without affecting healthy tissues that are further away, so we anticipate few side effects,” Zeng said. “In addition, the magnetic field that’s used to excite the particles can penetrate deep into the body from an instrument that does not require any contact or insertion of probes. As such, the therapy can reach parts of the body that are not easily accessible to surgery.”