The chitosan-based system combines chemotherapy with photodynamic therapy and has shown promising results in laboratory tests
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Photo source: yalax / iStock
Iranian researchers have developed an advanced hydrogel-based system designed to improve the effectiveness of breast cancer treatment while reducing the side effects associated with chemotherapy, as reported by Pars Today, a TV BRICS partner.
The postdoctoral research, led by Iranian researcher Farnaz Azadikhah, focuses on a light-sensitive hydrogel made from chitosan, a natural biopolymer, to deliver the chemotherapy drug methotrexate alongside the photosensitising compound perylene diimide.
The approach is designed to combine chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy within a single treatment system. According to the researchers, chitosan serves as a biocompatible and biodegradable carrier, enabling controlled and targeted release of the therapeutic compounds at the tumour site.
Methotrexate works by inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells. In the newly developed system, the drug is released locally in tumour tissue, which could help maintain therapeutic concentrations while limiting exposure to healthy tissues and reducing systemic side effects.
The second component, perylene diimide, responds to laser light by generating reactive oxygen species. These molecules can damage and destroy cancer cells, providing an additional mechanism for attacking tumours.
Laboratory tests showed that the combined system eliminated more than 80 per cent of breast cancer cells when a low dose of methotrexate was used alongside laser irradiation. The researchers reported that healthy cells showed no significant damage under the tested conditions.
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