Innovative Drug Discovery and Nanotechnology (Track)

SIC/SIO2 NANOWIRES FOR A BIMODAL ONCOTHERAPY

Giancarlo Salviati


IMEM-CNR, SCALING group, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy

Abstract

Local tumour recurrence determines a patient’s bad prognosis and represents the real challenge. Based on this noteworthy concept and on the fact that intravenous chemotherapy is not always sufficiently effective in controlling tumour expansion, new locoregional treatment options have been evaluated in the literature taking into consideration that systemic side effects could be potentially reduced. Multimodal approaches demonstrated encouraging results in experimental and clinical experiences [see e.g. 1- 3].

Here in vitro and in vivo studies on the possible use of SiC/SiO2 nanowires (NWs) to treat solid tumours are presented. Results on the cytocompatibility of the NWs as well as their bimodal functionality (generation of oxidative stress under irradiation with highly energetic X-rays, X-Ray induced Photo Dynamic Therapy-XRPDT and concurrent magnetic hyperthermia-MHT) will be shown [4-7].

As for the oxidative stress, a syngeneic malignant mesothelioma cell line cultured from experimental asbestos-exposed peritoneal mesothelioma in rats has been used. Ex vivo histological analyses were performed estimating the ratio between necrotic area and tumor area. The analyses showed a significant reduction (more than twice) in tumor growth on animals treated with radiotherapy after injecting the NWs into the tumor mass (XRPDT) with respect to the rats treated with the radiotherapy alone.

Keywords: SiC nanowires, deep cancer treatment, magnetic hyperthermia, X-ray induced photo dynamic therapy.

REFERENCES

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