Nanoparticles for radiation therapy enhancement. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Theodorou, Kiki
• Is Part Of: Physica medica. Volume 32(2016)Supplement 3
• Page Start: 193
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: Medical physics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Imagerie médicale -- Périodiques; Radiothérapie -- Périodiques; Rayons X -- Sécurité -- Mesures -- Périodiques; Physique -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; 610.153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2016.07.342
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1120-1797

Abstract

Abstract : Nanoparticles (NPs) have been used for drug delivery, for in vitro diagnosis and for in vivo imaging. During the last decades, efforts have been made for the use of nanoparticles as therapeutic agents. Given that radiation therapy is not a selective antitumor treatment, the main challenge is to increase its therapeutic efficacy and thus to increase the differential radiation effect between healthy and cancer cells by the combined use of NPs. In the many research projects that have been contacted the last years, different nanoparticle designs and materials have been employed but the main idea is the use of high-Z NPs for radiosensitization. In this context, these NPs can intensify the production of secondary electrons and ROS that in turn enhance radiation therapy effects. The enhancement of radiotherapy efficiency could be evaluated by the determination of the Nanoparticle-mediated Enhancement Ratio (NER) after a single radiation dose, the determination of the Dose Modifying Factor (DMF) based on survival curves and the variation of the ROS production upon irradiation. This review will focused on the different approaches followed on the use of nanoparticles, the dosimetric studies available, the radiobiological issues and the target selectivity. Discussion will be made on the efficiency and the prospective of the use of NPs in current radiotherapy practice.