Cancer still remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide and arises when a normal cell undergoes a series of genetic mutations resulting in its uncontrolled growth and proliferation, causing malignancy. The mortality rates of a variety of cancer types have only decreased by less than 2%, even though the fight against cancer has been long-standing. The current standard of cancer care comprises the elimination of solid tumors by surgery followed by treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs. However, it has been shown that the anticancer drugs used in chemotherapy also target other healthy tissues in the body resulting in toxicity to vital organs such as heart in the case of doxorubicin Therefore, there is a need for developing new treatment therapies capable to save millions of lives.

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A new therapeutic concept, called magnetic hyperthermia (MH), has been proposed. It relies on the heat released by the magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) exposed to an externally applied alternating magnetic field (AMF), which is used to increase the temperature of the cancer cells, up to a level at which apoptosis can be initiated.

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The successful application of MH in clinical practice demands magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with highly improved magneto-caloric properties, able to provide controlled intratumoral heat exposure, at safety levels of the magnetic fields, being biocompatible in order to easily circulate through the blood stream, as well.

 

In this project we would like to demonstrate de capabilities of a new class of MNPs, comprising a magnetic core and silica shell, to induce apoptosis at safety limit of AC magnetic field and at concentration level below which they are toxic.  The silica shell will reduce the inter-particle dipole-dipole interactions, assuring stabilization of MNPs especially in cellular media and leading to a significant improvement in the magneto-caloric properties, making them more efficient in hyperthermia assays. Moreover, the highly biocompatible characteristic of silica coating will allow exposing the cancer cells to a higher dose of MNPs increasing thus their potential to overload the cells.