Gold-Turmeric Nanoparticles Boost Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy

The power of small.

STARTER STATS

• Roughly 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

• Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men

• It accounts for over 1/5 of all new cases in men

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The side effects of cancer treatment are debilitating across all aspects of life, both physical and emotional. To help improve the treatment of prostate cancer (one of the most common cancers), a research team at the University of Waterloo has created curcumin-coated gold nanoparticles that significantly increase the radiation sensitivity of prostate cancer cells. Their work could significantly reduce the radiation required to kill tumours.

The study found that, at specific concentrations, the nanoparticles didn’t harm cells much on their own. Still, when combined with radiation, they boosted damage significantly.

If translated into human therapy, the nano-platform could allow oncologists to deliver lower radiation doses while achieving the same (or better) tumour control. That would cause less collateral damage to nearby healthy organs and fewer side effects, such as urinary, sexual, or bowel issues.

The work is still in early experimental phases (cell models) and requires further research, especially in 3-D cell systems and animal models.

“Ultimately, we hope that our research could lead to a viable alternative therapy for prostate cancer that is minimally invasive and less damaging to tissues than current approaches.”

— Mohamed Aborig, PhD Student

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