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Novel study uses magnetic nanoparticles to "burn" cancer cells

• Natural News - Evangelyn Rodriguez

(Natural News) Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the rapid and uncontrollable growth of cells. It is the second leading cause of death in the United States, with nearly 600,000 fatalities reported each year.

As one of the most extensively studied human diseases, various cancer treatments have been developed by scientists. One such treatment has been steadily gaining traction in recent years, and it involves the use of high temperatures to destroy cancer cells. Known as hyperthermia treatment, this therapy is used in conjunction with other modalities, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have a wide range of biomedical applications. One of the most recently proposed uses for MNPs is as a magnetic guide in drug delivery and as heat mediators in hyperthermia treatments.

In a recent study, Bulgarian researchers investigated the potential of using mixed ferrite nanoparticles to facilitate heat application during hyperthermia treatment. Using mice and cell cultures, they explored two methods of generating heat in MNPs, specifically, via direct or indirect coupling between the magnetic field and the magnetic moment of the particles.

The researchers reported their findings in an article published in The European Physical Journal B.

Hyperthermia treatment using MNPs can help 'burn' cancer tumors

Two types of hyperthermia are currently being explored in cancer therapy: Thermo cutting, which involves exposing a tumor to temperatures greater than 46 C, and moderate hyperthermia, which involves the application of heat ranging between 41 C and 46 C. The former is said to result in direct necrosis, while the latter leads to the activation of many degradation mechanisms, such as protein denaturation, protein folding and DNA crosslinking – a type of genetic damage that triggers cell death.


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