Effects and side effects of plasmonic photothermal therapy in brain tissue

Abstract

Heat generated from plasmonic nanoparticles can be utilized in plasmonic photothermal therapy. A combination of near-infrared laser and metallic nanoparticles are compelling for the treatment of brain cancer, due to their efficient light-to-heat conversion and bio-compatibility. However, one of the challenges of plasmonic photothermal therapy is to minimize the damage of the surrounding brain tissue. The adjacent tissue can be damaged as the results of either absorption of laser light, thermal conductivity, nanoparticles diffusing from the tumor, or a combination hereof. Hence, we still lack the full understanding about the light-tissue interaction and, in particular, the thermal response. We tested the temperature change in three different porcine cerebral tissues, i.e., the stem, the cerebrum, and the cerebellum, under laser treatment. We find that the different tissues have differential optical and thermal properties and confirm the enhancement of heating from adding plasmonic nanoparticles. Furthermore, we measure the loss of laser intensity through the different cerebral tissues and stress the importance of correct analysis of the local environment of a brain tumor.

Laser‐induced optothermal response of gold nanoparticles: From a physical viewpoint to cancer treatment application

“…Although there are differences in optical properties between the cancerous cells and healthy tissue (different reactions to radiation), the overall thermal effect in the tumor and the surrounding healthy cells does not present appreciable selectivity, once exposed to laser light. Considering also that a laser power ranging from 1 to 10 W, needs some minutes for a whole tumor‐covering treatment, the risk of inducing undesired thermal damage to the healthy tissue and structures surrounding the tumor exists [4]. As a solution to reduce the amount of energy absorbed by healthy tissue in conventional methods, photothermal therapy (PTT) [5] has been proposed [6].…”

Microbial resistance to nanotechnologies: An important but understudied consideration using antimicrobial nanotechnologies in orthopaedic implants

“…Using nanoparticles as a power source to generate local heat in the infection sites has emerged as a promising aseptic regimen to combat resistant bacteria infections. The fundamentals and various formulations of this hyperthermia-based strategy, also known as photothermal therapy (PTT), has been exhaustively reviewed [ [197] , [198] , [199] , [200] ]. Briefly, an elevated temperature (>50 °C) in the localized region can be produced by materials under near-infrared radiation (NIR), resulting in occurrence of a rapid necrotic cell death, a distinct execution mode that is believed to circumvent the particle-oxidative stress associated antimicrobial resistance.…”

Advances in 3D-Printed Surface-Modified Ca-Si Bioceramic Structures and Their Potential for Bone Tumor Therapy

“…However, presently, such modified 3D-printed bioceramics have not advanced into human trials. As a whole, photothermal therapy is still in its early stage compared to established chemotherapeutic treatments, and until the clinical validation of photothermal therapy has advanced, additional features are unlikely to be considered due to a lack of regulatory structure and evidence [ 101 ]. With modification toward bioceramic structures, a rigorous evaluation in its regulatory pathways is needed, as the resulting treatment may be seen as a device-drug combination product, adding another layer of complexity to clinical translation.…”