A team of researchers from Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center has developed a groundbreaking method to destroy tumors by disrupting their acidic environment, which is essential for their growth, without damaging healthy tissue.
This innovative approach targets hydroxyapatite (HAP), a mineral commonly found in bones and teeth, and also produced by some tumors. HAP helps tumors grow, spread, and invade other parts of the body but is not present in normal soft tissues, making it an ideal focus for cancer treatment.
The researchers created a nanoparticle, delivered through an injection called NSPS, that attaches to the calcium in HAP crystals within the tumor. This attachment causes the HAP crystals to dissolve, which then makes the tumor’s environment less acidic (a process called alkalosis). This sudden change in acidity is enough to kill breast cancer cells in the lab and slow the growth of tumors in animals with human breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancers.
Importantly, NSPS was found to interact minimally with normal tissues and bones, indicating its potential as a safe and innovative cancer treatment.
The research, led by Mohammed Tantawy, PhD, MBA, and his team, was published in the journal Cancer Medicine. It suggests that NSPS could represent a new class of cancer therapies, especially for cancers that are resistant to chemotherapy, like triple-negative breast cancer which is difficult to treat and often recurs.
The study highlights the urgent need for new treatments that can improve outcomes for patients with a poor prognosis.
While further human studies are needed, NSPS shows promise as a game-changing approach to cancer treatment.
The project benefits from the diverse expertise of the Vanderbilt team, including specialists in imaging science, pharmacology, nanoscale science and engineering, and clinical departments, indicating a broad and multidisciplinary effort.