Abstract
The prevalence of cardiac malignant neoplasms in the general population has been shown to be significant higher than what was previously estimated, yet their treatment has remained difficult and effective therapies are lacking. In the current study, we developed a novel thermotherapy in which PEG-functionalized carbon nanotubes were injected into the tumor regions to assist in the targeted delivery of infrared radiation energy with minimal hyperthermic damage to the surrounding normal tissues. In a mouse model of cardiac malignant neoplasms, the injected carbon nanotubes could rapidly induce coagulative necrosis of tumor tissues when exposed to infrared irradiation. In accordance, the treatment was also found to result in a restoration of heart functions and a concomitant increase of survival rate in mice. Taken together, our carbon nanotube-based thermotherapy successfully addressed the difficulty facing conventional laser ablation methods with regard to off-target thermal injury, and could pave the way for the development of more effective therapies against cardiac malignant neoplasms.
Highlights
Cardiac malignant neoplasms, including primary and secondary cases, have been suggested by autopsy studies to account for approximately 2.3% individuals in the general population, with the average patient age at around 40 and medium survival at 9 months[1]
Despite vigorous clinical and academic efforts in search for curative treatment methods, it is still extremely difficult to provide a satisfactory medical solution to patients afflicted with cardiac malignant neoplasms
The structure of the prepared carbon nanotubes was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (CM 200, Philips, Amsterdam, Netherland) and the size distribution was determined by a laser particle analyzer (Mastersizer 3000, Malvern, Worcestershire, UK)
Summary
Cardiac malignant neoplasms, including primary and secondary cases, have been suggested by autopsy studies to account for approximately 2.3% individuals in the general population, with the average patient age at around 40 and medium survival at 9 months[1]. Despite vigorous clinical and academic efforts in search for curative treatment methods, it is still extremely difficult to provide a satisfactory medical solution to patients afflicted with cardiac malignant neoplasms. The cause for this predicament is multifaceted: The difficulty in early detection and diagnosis means that the tumor, when found, has often invaded deep into the myocardium and become impervious to resection. There is evidence suggesting that patients who cannot undergo complete resection often benefit little from such adjuvant treatment methods in the long term[2] Due to these drawbacks, there is great urgency in developing new cancer therapies that demonstrate higher efficacy and fewer, milder adverse effects. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first demonstration of using thermotherapy for the treatment of deep-seated and moving tumors
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