January 3, 2016.
A team from the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), the University of Paris Descartes and the University of Paris Diderot, has developed a technique able to destroy tumors with greater efficiency.
Nanohyperthermia makes chemotherapy more effective
Soften the tumor to better destroy it. This is the surprising idea brought to light by French researchers in a report published in the journal Theranostic. Thanks to the heat, the researchers have indeed succeeded in change the temperature of tumors through carbon nanotubes and heat softened them.
Once softened, tumors are more vulnerable to chemotherapy sessions. This technique is called nanohyperthermia. ” The fight against cancer is often hampered by the physical resistance of tumors and the collateral damage caused by treatments The authors of the report explained in a statement. By attacking the structure of the tumor, they were able to bypass these obstacles.
Experimentation in mice
The researchers experimented with their discovery in mice. They heated malignant tumors to 52 ° C for three minutes. The tumors then “ stiffened, before gradually softening in the ten days following the treatment “, They detailed. If this technique could be as effective in humans, it would pave the way for many scientific advances.
Concretely, the carbon nanotubes are injected directly into the tumors, then are activated by laser, which allows the healthy tissues around the tumor not to be affected. ” Nanohyperthermia locally denatures collagen fibers and in the long term reduces the stiffness and volume of tumors “, Specified the CNRS in a press release. “ It destructures the tumor microenvironment and could serve as an adjuvant treatment to support chemotherapy. “
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