A new cancer research study, co-authored by Greek biomedical engineer Dr. Costas Arvanitis and his team, has introduced a groundbreaking technique that could significantly improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer. The research, which was published in the journal eLife, focuses on a novel method for imaging the movement of immune cells in solid tumors.
The scientists developed a method to label macrophage cells with FDA-approved lipid-shelled microbubbles. Once these macrophages are labeled, they can be tracked deep within tissues using specialized, non-invasive ultrasound imaging. This allows researchers to monitor how these immune cells move and accumulate within tumors in real-time without harming their viability or function.
Key advantages of the new cancer research technique in diagnosis
Below are some of the most significant benefits this innovative ultrasound-based cancer research method offers over existing diagnostic tools.
- High sensitivity and safety: Unlike traditional imaging methods like MRI or PET scans, this ultrasound-based approach offers high resolution and can be used over long periods of time without the risk of radiation.
- Overcoming biological barriers: The use of immune cells as “injectable diagnostics” is a radical departure from current methods that rely on small molecules, which often struggle to penetrate tissues. The macrophage-delivered microbubbles can overcome these biological barriers, providing a clearer picture of diseased tissues.
- New therapeutic avenues: The research also opens the door to new clinical applications. The method could be used to:
-
Improve cellular therapies: Doctors could image and optimize the accumulation of cellular therapies, like chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) macrophages, within tumors.
-
Enhance drug delivery: Macrophages could transport drugs directly to tumors, which could then be released in a targeted manner using ultrasound.
-
Assess tumor aggressiveness: The ability to precisely track immune cells could help assess tumor aggressiveness and detect early-stage micrometastases.
-
According to Arvanitis, “This technology offers a new, powerful tool for studying the tumor immune microenvironment, a key factor in cancer progression and response to therapy.”
The team believes this promising research could have future applications in the fight against other diseases as well, such as atherosclerosis.
Arvanitis focuses on biomedical ultrasound and image-guided therapy
Costas Arvanitis is an Assistant Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He joined Georgia Institute of Technology as a joint Assistant Professor at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering in August 2016.
Before joining Georgia Institute of Technology, he was Instructor (Research Faculty) at Harvard Medical Scholl and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Arvanitis has also worked as a research fellow in the Biomedical Ultrasonics, Biotherapy and Biopharmaceuticals Laboratory at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford.
His research is focused on biomedical ultrasound and image-guided therapy. His work centers on understanding the biological effects of ultrasound and acoustically induced microbubble oscillations (acoustic cavitation) to advance cancer research and study complex biological systems, such as the neurovascular network and the tumor microenvironment, with the goal of developing novel therapies for the treatment of cancer and central nervous system diseases and disorders.
Related: New Therapy Destroys Deadly Brain Tumor in Days
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
