We explored the potential of iodinated copper-cysteamine (Cu-Cy-I) nanoparticles to enhance cancer treatment when combined with X-ray therapy. The study specifically focused on how these nanoparticles could improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy by increasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumor cells. This increase in ROS leads to more significant DNA damage in cancer cells, making them more susceptible to radiation treatment.
Our findings revealed that when 4T1 tumor cells were treated with Cu-Cy-I nanoparticles alongside X-ray irradiation, there was a notable improvement in tumor cell killing compared to X-ray treatment alone. Additionally, in mouse models with breast carcinoma, the combination treatment led to better tumor growth inhibition and extended survival time for the mice.
However, we acknowledge that the effectiveness of the iodine component in the nanoparticles at lower doses was not verified in this study. The results suggest that Cu-Cy-I nanoparticles have promise as radiosensitizers in cancer therapy, but more research is needed, particularly regarding the synthesis of smaller nanoparticles for further evaluation.
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Iodine enhances lung cancer treatmentEfficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with iodine-125 seed implantation in driver gene-negative non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective cohort study.
Combination therapy studied for efficacy
We conducted a retrospective study focusing on patients with driver gene-negative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to explore the effectiveness of iodine-125 (I) seed implantation when paired with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and chemotherapy (CT). In our analysis of 95 patients, we compared two groups: one treated with I seed implantation alongside ICIs and CT, and the other treated with conventional radiotherapy (RT) with the same additional therapies.
Our primary goal was to assess the median progression-free survival (mPFS), alongside secondary outcomes that included the one- and two-year progression-free survival rates, as well as the occurrence of adverse events related to treatments. The results were promising: patients who received iodine treatment experienced longer survival times and reported fewer adverse effects compared to those undergoing traditional RT.
The findings suggest that Iodine-125 seed implantation could be a more advantageous option for treating this specific type of lung cancer, offering a precision approach that minimizes damage to healthy lung tissue. This less invasive method could provide patients with a better quality of life while still tackling the disease effectively.
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Iodine treatment aids recurrent cancerCase report of the first use of a hydrogel rectal spacer for prostate cancer reirradiation via LDR brachytherapy: applications and technical notes.
Focuses on iodine's specific effect.
We observed a compelling case where a biodegradable hydrogel spacer was used alongside iodine-125 brachytherapy to treat recurrent prostate cancer. This innovative approach involved placing the spacer to create space between the prostate and the rectum, which significantly reduced radiation exposure to healthy tissues during the treatment.
Following initial external beam radiotherapy in 2015, the patient showed signs of local recurrence by 2022. To address this, the treatment plan included not just the iodine-125 brachytherapy but also the hydrogel spacer, which was placed in January 2024 just before the radiation treatment. Six months later, we noted a remarkable drop in the patient’s prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, indicating a positive response to the treatment.
This case showcases the potential benefits of using iodine treatment in combination with advanced techniques like hydrogel spacers. The results suggest that this method not only improves the effectiveness of therapy but also ensures higher safety by protecting adjacent tissues from unnecessary radiation damage. Overall, we find this integration of technology highly beneficial for managing recurrent cancer challenges.
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Iodine peptides show cancer treatment promiseExperimental study of iodine-131 labeling of a novel tumor-targeting peptide, TFMP-Y4, in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with internal irradiation.
Study relevant but not definitive
We explored the effectiveness of iodine-labeled peptides, specifically I-TFMP-Y4 and I-Caerin 1.1, in treating hepatocellular carcinoma, a common type of liver cancer. Our study included in vitro experiments where we assessed how these peptides affected the growth of liver cancer cells, as well as in vivo tests using a hormone-treated nude mouse model.
We found that both I-Caerin 1.1 and I-TFMP-Y4 were effective at inhibiting the proliferation of Hepg2 cells, which are a model for liver cancer. Interestingly, while I-Caerin 1.1 showed a significant impact, we observed that TFMP-Y4 alone did not inhibit the liver cancer cells, suggesting its effectiveness might rely on its pairing with Iodine.
Additionally, we noted that I-TFMP-Y4 has the potential to lessen adverse reactions during treatment compared to I-Caerin 1.1. This finding is particularly important as it may improve the safety profile of the treatment, making it more acceptable for patients undergoing therapy.
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We explored a method to accurately calculate the volumes of small iodine-avid metastatic lesions in SPECT/CT imaging, particularly after thyroid surgery. This imaging technique is crucial for monitoring how well thyroid cancer treatment is working and can help in making decisions about further treatment, like radioactive iodine therapy.
Our study focused on evaluating the uptake and volume of iodine in post-surgical SPECT/CT images using a neck-thyroid phantom designed for this purpose. By aligning SPECT images with CT scans, we implemented a gray-level histogram technique to ensure that our calculations were precise and not influenced by any radiation spillover, a common issue in imaging.
We validated our method with different volumes—ranging from 0.5 mL to 10 mL—and found that for the smaller volumes, the calculated measurements were fairly close to the actual sizes. The accuracy varied slightly, but we achieved a minimal error rate, which means our approach is promising for future assessments in thyroid cancer treatment and monitoring.
This approach allows us to obtain reliable data from SPECT/CT images, enhancing the usability of iodine-based diagnostics and treatment efficacy assessments without needing additional imaging modalities.
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