BJS 2 - Tumour targeted oxygen-generating nanoparticles for enhanced radiotherapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer Free

To determine if novel oxygen-generating nanoparticles, encased in a pH-sensitive polymethacrylate polymer (SOG-01), can enhance radiotherapy-based treatment in a preclinical pancreatic cancer model. SOG-01 nanoparticles are stable in circulation and, at the lower pH in hypoxic tumours, the polymer coating dissolves to expose a solid peroxide core, capable of generating oxygen in the tumour microenvironment. Since hypoxia reduces the efficacy of radiotherapy, this particle could potentially be employed to enhance radiotherapy-based approaches for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

A human xenograft pancreatic cancer model (BxPC-3) in mice was employed as a target. SOG-01 was administered systemically and animals (n=6 per experimental group) were subsequently treated with radiation (a single dose of 6 Gy) using a Gulmay (160kV) AGO HS-MP1 X-Ray generator. Control animals were either untreated, treated with SOG-01 alone, or radiation alone. Tumour size and survival were employed as a measure of therapeutic efficacy.

When the mean tumour size of groups treated with SOG-01 or radiation alone was compared with that of the untreated group at day 23 no statistically significant decrease was observed. However, a dramatic 89% and statistically significant decrease (p = 0.001; α = 0.05) was observed for tumours treated with combination of SOG-01 and radiation. Additionally, Kaplan Meier analysis demonstrated enhanced survival to 65 days when compared with 38 day survival for the group treated with radiation alone.

The data suggest that SOG-01 may play a role in enhancing radiotherapy-based approaches for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.