Advancements in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
The Challenge of Choice in Melanoma Therapy
Speed and precision are crucial in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. While melanoma patients have access to numerous therapeutic options, an abundance of choices can complicate the selection of the most effective treatment. This complexity can lead to delays in determining the best course of action.
Innovative Solution: Multifunctional Microneedles
Recent developments in medical technology, particularly through the use of microneedles, may streamline this process. Researchers from the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, MIT, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have detailed a new type of microneedle that can simultaneously deliver drugs and detect biomarkers, which helps evaluate melanoma treatment effectiveness.
David Walt, a prominent figure in the research and the Hansjörg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard Medical School, stated, “The Artzi lab’s remarkable microneedle technology containing engineered nanostructures enables both drug delivery and micro-sampling—a completely new concept for a theranostic, providing an ideal, non-invasive solution to melanoma treatment.”
Size and Precision of Microneedles
These microneedles are incredibly small, measuring less than one millimeter in length, which allows for precise targeting of tumors while minimizing damage to healthy cells. Their diminutive size means patients may not even notice the application, leading to a more comfortable treatment experience.
A cross-disciplinary team led by Dr. Natalie Artzi, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, utilized microneedles alongside ultrasound technology and an immune-activating drug to assess their effectiveness in measuring cancer cell responses.
Immediate Data Acquisition
Artzi’s research team created microneedles approximately two-thirds of a millimeter long and one-tenth of a millimeter wide from hyaluronic acid, a natural polymer in the body. After administering the therapy, the microneedles collect a small amount of interstitial skin fluid. Dr. Daniel Dahis, the study’s first author, explained, “After the microneedles are retrieved, their tips can be simply dissolved to release the captured molecules into a test tube for biomarker analysis.”
To analyze the minuscule fluid samples effectively, Artzi collaborated with Dr. David Walt to implement a highly sensitive single-molecule immunodetection assay. This advanced method is up to 100 times more sensitive than traditional techniques, allowing for comprehensive profiling of biomarkers associated with effective immunotherapy.
The Importance of Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., Founding Director of the Wyss Institute, remarked, “This work is a beautiful example of interdisciplinary collaboration and convergence of cutting-edge technologies that we strive for at the Wyss Institute. This new advance has the potential to raise the quality of cancer immunotherapy to the next level by directly assessing therapeutic efficacy in individual patients.”
While these findings are promising, it is important to note that the technology is still in its early stages. Ongoing research will continue to provide updates on this innovative approach to melanoma treatment. It is always advisable for patients to consult with healthcare professionals for tailored advice regarding melanoma diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.
References
Dahis, D., et al. Monitoring Melanoma Responses to STING Agonism and Focused Ultrasound Thermal Ablation Using Microneedles and Ultrasensitive Single Molecule Arrays. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2023, 2301659. Moving the needle on monitoring skin cancer. Wyss Institute. Published August 21, 2023. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/moving-the-needle-on-monitoring-skin-cancer/. Dosta, P., Puigmal, N., Cryer, A.M., Rodríguez, A.L., Scott, E., Weissleder, R., Miller, M.A., Artzi, N. Polymeric microneedles enable simultaneous delivery of cancer immunomodulatory drugs and detection of skin biomarkers. Theranostics. 2023 13(1), 1-15 doi:10.7150/thno.73966. Schubert, S., et al. Ultra-sensitive protein detection via Single Molecule Arrays towards early stage cancer monitoring. Sci Rep. 2015 5, 11034.