A Ferrimagnetic Cement as a novel material for the Highly Focalized Thermotherapy applied in the treatment of solid tumours

A Portela
Organisation: Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal

Abstract:

Hyperthermia is a widely studied method in the cancer treatment. The methods currently available are generally limited by the inability to selectively target the tumour cells, with the subsequent risk of affecting adjacent healthy tissues. To overcome this limitation, the Highly Focalized Thermotherapy technique was developed, consisting in the direct injection of a material into the tumour and the subsequent exposition to a high frequency magnetic field that will heat the magnetic particles and subsequently, the tumour cells. We propose in this study the use of a ferrimagnetic cement(FC) thatcan be directly injected into the tumour and stays located at the injection site, allowing repeated treatments, dispensing a repeat injection. In the SEM/EDS analysis, it was observed the FC surface, injected in the tumour,covered by a layer of Ca and Si associated to high peaks of C and P.Its temperature increases when exposed to a magnetic field and dissipates throughout the tumour, without damaging the adjacent tissues. The histological examination of tumours revealed severe necrosis with hemorrhage and many dead cells with condensed nuclei.Based on these results, FC seems to be a promising material for the treatment of solid tumours in the hyperthermia context.