A new way, discovered by scientists, may improve radiation therapy and reduce side effects for cancer patients using copper-based nanocapsules to cause a unique form of cell death called cuproptosis. With syndromes like these, which frequently recur or metastasize, this innovative approach might offer a future lifeline to patients facing the very hard problem of recurrent/metastatic disease.
A new way, discovered by scientists, may improve radiation therapy and reduce side effects for cancer patients using copper-based nanocapsules to cause a unique form of cell death called cuproptosis. With syndromes like these, which frequently recur or metastasize, this innovative approach might offer a future lifeline to patients facing the very hard problem of recurrent/metastatic disease.
Radiosensitization
That may not be a problem for angels to deal with, but it’s one way cancer fights back against treatment. This may partly account for the profound penetration of BMDCs in secondary radiotherapy-treated patients, where, by definition, the tumor cells already have devised ways to survive and counter against the initial radiation treated.
But researchers have finally stumbled upon a solution to this conundrum However, they found that copper also be a mechanism by which tumour cells are killed during radiotherapy and identified a new cell death pathway for tumour cell killing called cuproptosis using polyoxometalate nanoparticles with encapsulated copper (PWCu). The nanocapsules enter the tumor cells and release Cu2+ ions, further leading to cuproptosis, thereby reversing the radiation resistance. This approach may provide targeted and multimodal strategies to improve the local antitumor effects of radiotherapy and therefore could be a promising therapeutical option for patients suffering from recurrent or metastatic disease.
Harnessing the Abscopal Effect
In addition, the researchers discovered a surprising additional effect of the PWCu nanocapsules: they trigger an abscopal effect, increasing immune attack against the tumour cells.
The abscopal effect refers to the ability of local radiotherapy to cause regression of metastatic sites outside the radiation field. They discovered they could wake the immune system by slipping microdoses of copper ions inside these same nanocapsules, leading them to effectively illuminate “defend thyneselves” fliers at the tumoral reading room.
This double-headed strategy which adds natural local antitumor effects to a powerful systemic immune response has the potential to be revolutionary in the recurrent and metastatic cancer space. The PWCu nanocapsules represent an innovative approach to leverage the natural defenses of our body for enhancing effectiveness and circumventing some of problems encountered in repeated exposures with external beam therapy.
Conclusion
The identification of copper-mediated nanocapsules as radiosensitizers for cancer therapy makes important advancement to oncology. The treatment model, which works by activating an oncological cell and inducing a cuproptotic response to cause the death of cancerous cells; capitalizes on this new type of programmed cell death specially and activates an immune system “signal” as part of the abscopal effect, theoretically improving chances for patients with recurrent or metastatic disease. With researchers building on the foundation laid by their colleagues, it is possible that this technology could usher in a new era of highly tailored and effective radiation therapy for patients who have run out of other options.
