ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Russian scientists have developed a new photothermal cancer immunotherapy that enables precise control of immune responses inside cancer tumors, ITMO University announced Friday.
The method is based on light-sensitive microcarriers that, when subjected to a laser, release an immunomodulating drug "at the right time and in the right amount," the university said in a news release.
"In this studay, we demonstrate that we can remotely control treatment release and the moment of its activation," said Lidia Mikhailova, a junior researcher at ITMO's Faculty of Physics.
"After injection, the drug will remain inactive until we point a laser at the necessary location. This is the main advantage of using a laser in this method: thanks to such precise control, we can minimize side effects and prevent undesirable impact on healthy tissue," she said.
Researchers noted that tumor development and survival depend not only on genetic changes in cancer cells, but also on their interaction with surrounding tissues. Many tumors can "reprogram" immune cells known as macrophages, prompting them to protect the tumor instead of attacking it. ■
