Photothermal Cancer Therapy Advances With Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles For Cancer Detection And Treatment

Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have created a light-activated nanotechnology that could change cancer care strategies. The approach aims to detect and treat certain tumours more precisely than chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. It uses photothermal therapy to heat and destroy cancer cells while reducing damage to nearby healthy tissue.

The study focuses on tiny biocompatible and biodegradable nanoparticles that carry a dye triggered by near-infrared light. When exposed to this light, the particles warm the tumour region and damage cancer cells. Near-infrared light is used because it travels deeper through body tissues than visible light.

A long-standing problem for photothermal therapy is keeping light-responsive materials stable inside the body. Many current agents break down quickly, are removed fast from the bloodstream, or enter cancer cells poorly. These weaknesses limit how much active material reaches tumours and reduce treatment reliability.

To overcome this, the NYU Abu Dhabi team built nanoparticles using hydroxyapatite, a mineral naturally present in bones and teeth. The particles are coated with lipids and polymers that help them circulate longer and avoid immune detection. This design allows more nanoparticles to reach tumour sites and stay active for longer periods.

The nanoparticles are engineered to respond to the mildly acidic environment typical of many tumours. A peptide on their surface becomes active under these acidic conditions. It then promotes efficient entry into cancer cells, while the particles mostly bypass healthy tissue that has a more neutral pH.

The researchers report that the nanoparticles remain highly stable in biological conditions and shield the dye from degradation. Once activated by near-infrared light, they generate local heat that destroys tumour tissue. At the same time, they produce fluorescent and thermal signals that allow tumours to be seen and treatment progress tracked in real time.

"This work brings together targeted treatment and imaging in a single, biocompatible and biodegradable system," said Mazin Magzoub, senior author of the study and associate professor of biology at NYU Abu Dhabi. "By addressing key challenges in delivering therapeutic agents to tumors, our approach has the potential to improve cancer treatment precision.

The findings present this nanoparticle platform as a combined tool for cancer diagnosis and therapy. The research marks an important progress step for light-based cancer treatments that aim to be safer and more accurate. It may support future clinical strategies that use focused heating and imaging instead of broad systemic therapies.

With inputs from WAM