Bandage against melanoma

The technology of destroying skin cancer with a magnetic bandage has been successfully tested

Georgy Golovanov, Hi-tech+

Scientists are constantly replenishing the arsenal of means to fight cancer. One of the interesting options is the use of magnetic nanoparticles to heat and destroy tumor cells. Indian scientists have developed a magnetic bandage based on this technology and tested its performance on mice.

Over the past couple of years, oncology has accumulated quite successful examples of cancer control using nanoparticles by magnetic hyperthermia. Magnetic nanoparticles get to the tumor site and are activated by an alternating magnetic field, which causes heating of cancer cells and their subsequent destruction. These particles can be injected directly into the tumor or delivered in groups, but scientists from the Scientific Institute of India have come up with a new way — a non-invasive bandage that acts on skin cancer cells, according to a press release A bandage with magnetic nanofibres that kills skin cancer cells with heat.

Article by Suneet et al. Magnetic nanofibers based bandage for skin cancer treatment: a non-invasive hyperthermia therapy published in the journal Cancer Reports – VM.

In this case, nanoparticles are manufactured by electrospinning, when materials are conducted through an electric field to produce microscopic fibers. Such nanoparticles consist of iron oxide and a biodegradable polymer and are applied to surgical adhesive tape, which is then heated by a magnetic field.

Tests of the technology on cancer cells in vitro have been successful. Then the scientists tested the bandage on mice with skin cancer and made sure that the nanoparticles effectively destroy the tumor without harming healthy tissues. There were also no side effects in the form of burns or inflammation.

Scientists expect to proceed with further tests on rabbits, dogs and monkeys, and then proceed to preclinical and clinical tests.

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