Development of Targeted Cancer Cell Hyperthermia Technique

Cancer is a disease which is one of the most common causes of death on a global level (Jose et al., 2019). In 2012 there was 8.2 million cancer related deaths (Aras et al., 2018). Cancer occurs when cellular changes lead to cells growing and dividing in an uncontrollable manner. The human body continuously replaces cells that are no longer functional and hence, cell death is a natural process (Nall, 2020). Damaged cells that continue multiplying and build up within the body form tumours. Cancerous cells spread throughout the body through lymph nodes and hence obtaining an effective solution is proven to be difficult. (What Is Cancer?, 2021)
Conventional methods (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) of treating cancer have negative side effects on the human body and can be costly. Hyperthermic treatment involves heating the tumour tissues to temperatures that are above the normal body temperature (40 - 45 degC). Tumour cells can be effectively destroyed via 'thermally induced metabolic events' such as apoptosis (Jose et al., 2019). The aim of hyperthermia is to alter 'extracellular microenvironment by simulating immune responses' (Jose et al., 2019). When looking at regional hyperthermia, there are 2 approaches: non-invasive, which includes electromagnetic radiation and invasive which uses thermal conduction. Localised hyperthermia is of high interest in the medical world. This is because they have proved to be effective against some of the most aggressive cancer mutations, such as glioblastoma multiforme (Jose et al., 2019).
The primary aim of hyperthermia is to kill cancerous cells through the use of heat. Magnetic-induced hyperthermia accomplishes this through heating nanoparticles via an external AC magnetic field. This method is minimally invasive, tissue specific and can deliver heating of a high intensity to deep tissues. (Sharma et al., 2019). It is also not limited by 'target depth, backscattering and heat sink effects on blood vessels' (Jose et al., 2019). The reason to why this method if implemented can be successful is due to cancer cells being more sensitive to heat in comparison to healthy cells. However, it has to be ensured that no thermal damage occurs to other unaffected tissues. Magnetic nanoparticles can be used to transfer heat to the tumour cells either through Neel Relaxation or Brownian relaxation. Nanoparticles are particles in the x10^-9m range. The inclusion of these particles could prove to be advantageous when used in conjunction with a magnetic field due to their miniature size which enhances the effects of diffusion and distribution.
Jose et al., (2019) found that magnetic nanoparticles had a higher specific absorption rate in comparison to conventional nanoparticles making them a better choice for destroying cancer cells. It was also found that the developed nanoparticles had minimum effect on healthy tissue. Testing was also completed by Aras et al., (2018). It was found that nanoparticles are highly successful and can destroy 89% of cancer cells. The study showed that the particles can easily be concentrated into tissue that contain cancerous cells, hence once heat is applied through a magnetic field, optimum results will be found in terms of cancer cell destruction.
The aim of the study is to investigate how a technique involving magnetic hyperthermia and nanoparticles can be used to kill cancer cells. With one of the drawbacks being heating effects on adjacent healthy tissues, it would be informative to find out how heat is conducted within tissues. Heating parameters would be found through the use of heat transfer modelling on ANSYS. A testing rig would also be created where fluro-deoxy glucose nanoparticles would be used in conjunction with a 200 kHz AC heating coil to not only verify the success of the method but also find optimum parameters, including: hyperthermia agent concentration, temperature/heating time required depending on the organ and the magnetic field strength required.