Scientists have reported a new approach to treating lung cancer with inhaled nanoparticles developed at the School of Medicine.
Dawen Zhao, MD, PhDIn this proof-of-concept study, Dawen Zhao, MD, PhD, associate professor of biomedical engineering, used a mouse model to determine if metastatic lung tumors responded to an inhalable nanoparticle-immunotherapy system combined with the radiation therapy that is commonly used to treat lung cancer.
Among other findings, the team showed that combining the nanoparticle inhalation with radiation applied to a portion of one lung led to regression of tumors in both lungs and prolonged survival of the mice. The team also reported that it completely eliminated lung tumors in some of the mice.
Research FundingResearch reported was supported by the following grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
Newly Developed Nanoparticles Help Fight Lung Cancer in Animal Model: Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center P30 CA01219740 grant and the Wells Fargo Scholar Program.