Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) for Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast, Ovarian and Cervical Cancers

Abstract

Background: The potential of Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) as theranostic agents for cancer has been investigated extensively. SPIONS can be utilized for diagnostic imaging, drug delivery as well as for therapeutic applications. SPIONS are of particular interest because of their potential for non-invasive diagnosis and non-invasive therapeutic applications. This article is a review of in vivo and clinical studies of SPIONs for diagnosis and treatment of breast, ovarian and cervical cancer. The current limitations of this technology with relation to clinical therapeutic applications and the potential to overcome these limitations are also discussed. Methods: NCBI Pubmed was searched for relevant documents by using keyword and MESH based search. The following keyword combinations were used: ‘breast cancer’ and SPION, ‘ovarian cancer’ and SPION, and ‘cervical cancer’ and SPION. The resulting list was manually scanned for the studies involving clinical and in vivo studies. Results: The 29 most relevant publications were identified and reviewed. Conclusion: Although numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the use of SPIONs for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications, there is relatively little progress towards translation to clinical applications involving breast, ovarian and cervical cancer.

Nanomedicine Interventions in Clinical Trials for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer

“…The use of nanomedicine in cancer therapy has opened up new possibilities for more precise drug-delivery systems with fewer associated side-effects, and for more information on the impact of nanomedicine in the treatment of cancer, the reader can consult the following literature [5]. In particular, the authors highlight superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) that seem to have the potential for synergy with other methods of cancer therapy, including those discussed in this review [13][14][15]. However, since these technologies have not yet been introduced in clinical trials, they will not be discussed in this paper.…”

Biomedical Applications of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Current Insights Progress and Perspectives

“…In fact, SPION is referred to 20-150 nm spherical magnetite Fe 3 O and maghemite γ-Fe 2 O 3 crystals [36]. Size and morphology are determining for the level of tissue penetration-the smaller ones (<30 nm) are showing the highest cellular uptake and best retention [39], but quickly absorbed via pinocytosis, and bigger ones (~100 nm) have the best magneto-mechanical guiding selectivity [40], but strongly phagocytosed. This effective size of particles is critically defined by their ability to bind with serum proteins, forming stable aggregates (so-called zeta potential) [41].…”

“…Chitosan-and dextran-coated SPIONs are also well described, contrary to other types of coating, such as albumins, citrates, proteins and inorganic compounds were proposed, but their advantages are still not well observed [57,58]. The detection and accumulation of nanoparticles are used in a wide range of tissuesglioma (iron oxide NPs) [59], hepatocellular carcinoma (SPIONs hyperthermia) [60], breast (NP immunotherapy) [61] ovarian and cervical cancer (SPIONs) [39].…”

Update on the Use of Nanocarriers and Drug Delivery Systems and Future Directions in Cervical Cancer

“…The effect of supermagnetic DMSO@ γ -Fe₂O₃, combined with chemotherapy agent carmustine on cervical cancer under a variable magnetic field showed an increased toxic effect, enhanced by nanomagnetic fluid thermotherapy used on cervical cells. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are great for their noninvasive diagnosis and therapeutic use but there is still a slowly progress into clinical application [ 76 , 77 ].…”