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Sharma D, Xuan Leong K, Palhares D, Czarnota GJ. Radiation combined with ultrasound and microbubbles: A potential novel strategy for cancer treatment. Z Med Phys 2023; 33:407-426. [PMID: 37586962 PMCID: PMC10517408 DOI: 10.1016/j.zemedi.2023.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Several emerging technologies are helping to battle cancer. Cancer therapies have been effective at killing cancer cells, but a large portion of patients still die to this disease every year. As such, more aggressive treatments of primary cancers are employed and have been shown to be capable of saving a greater number of lives. Recent research advances the field of cancer therapy by employing the use of physical methods to alter tumor biology. It uses microbubbles to enhance radiation effect by damaging tumor vasculature followed by tumor cell death. The technique can specifically target tumor volumes by conforming ultrasound fields capable of microbubbles stimulation and localizing it to avoid vascular damage in surrounding tissues. Thus, this new application of ultrasound-stimulated microbubbles (USMB) can be utilized as a novel approach to cancer therapy by inducing vascular disruption resulting in tumor cell death. Using USMB alongside radiation has showed to augment the anti-vascular effect of radiation, resulting in enhanced tumor response. Recent work with nanobubbles has shown vascular permeation into intracellular space, extending the use of this new treatment method to potentially further improve the therapeutic effect of the ultrasound-based therapy. The significant enhancement of localized tumor cell kill means that radiation-based treatments can be made more potent with lower doses of radiation. This technique can manifest a greater impact on radiation oncology practice by increasing treatment effectiveness significantly while reducing normal tissue toxicity. This review article summarizes the past and recent advances in USMB enhancement of radiation treatments. The review mainly focuses on preclinical findings but also highlights some clinical findings that use USMB as a therapeutic modality in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepa Sharma
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Departments of Radiation Oncology, and Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kai Xuan Leong
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel Palhares
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Departments of Radiation Oncology, and Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gregory J Czarnota
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Departments of Radiation Oncology, and Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Zhao X, Pellow C, Goertz DE. Intravital imaging and cavitation monitoring of antivascular ultrasound in tumor microvasculature. Theranostics 2023; 13:250-266. [PMID: 36593952 PMCID: PMC9800738 DOI: 10.7150/thno.79186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Focused ultrasound-stimulated microbubbles have been shown to be capable of inducing blood flow shutdown and necrosis in a range of tissue types in an approach termed antivascular ultrasound or nonthermal ablation. In oncology, this approach has demonstrated tumor growth inhibition, and profound synergistic antitumor effects when combined with traditional platforms of chemo-, radiation- and immune-therapies. However, the exposure schemes employed have been broad and underlying mechanisms remain unclear with fundamental questions about exposures, vessel types and sizes involved, and the nature of bubble behaviors and their acoustic emissions resulting in vascular damage - impeding the establishment of standard protocols. Methods: Here, ultrasound transmitters and receivers are integrated into a murine dorsal window chamber tumor model for intravital microscopy studies capable of real-time visual and acoustic monitoring during antivascular ultrasound. Vessel type (normal and tumor-affected), caliber, and viability are assessed under higher pressure conditions (1, 2, and 3 MPa), and cavitation signatures are linked to the biological effects. Results: Vascular events occurred preferentially in tumor-affected vessels with greater incidence in smaller vessels and with more severity as a function of increasing pressure. Vascular blood flow shutdown was found to be due to a combination of focal disruption events and network-related flow changes. Acoustic emissions displayed elevated broadband noise and distinct sub- and ultra-harmonics and their associated third-order peaks with increasing pressure. Conclusions: The observed vascular events taken collectively with identified cavitation signatures provide an improved mechanistic understanding of antivascular ultrasound at the microscale, with implications for establishing a specific treatment protocol and control platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Zhao
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Canada.,Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada.,✉ Corresponding authors: Xiaoxiao Zhao, E-mail: ; and David Goertz, E-mail: ; 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto ON, M3C 3Z6
| | | | - David E. Goertz
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Canada.,Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada.,✉ Corresponding authors: Xiaoxiao Zhao, E-mail: ; and David Goertz, E-mail: ; 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto ON, M3C 3Z6
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Rousou C, Schuurmans CCL, Urtti A, Mastrobattista E, Storm G, Moonen C, Kaarniranta K, Deckers R. Ultrasound and Microbubbles for the Treatment of Ocular Diseases: From Preclinical Research towards Clinical Application. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13111782. [PMID: 34834196 PMCID: PMC8624665 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13111782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique anatomy of the eye and the presence of various biological barriers make efficacious ocular drug delivery challenging, particularly in the treatment of posterior eye diseases. This review focuses on the combination of ultrasound and microbubbles (USMB) as a minimally invasive method to improve the efficacy and targeting of ocular drug delivery. An extensive overview is given of the in vitro and in vivo studies investigating the mechanical effects of ultrasound-driven microbubbles aiming to: (i) temporarily disrupt the blood–retina barrier in order to enhance the delivery of systemically administered drugs into the eye, (ii) induce intracellular uptake of anticancer drugs and macromolecules and (iii) achieve targeted delivery of genes, for the treatment of ocular malignancies and degenerative diseases. Finally, the safety and tolerability aspects of USMB, essential for the translation of USMB to the clinic, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charis Rousou
- Departments of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.C.L.S.); (E.M.); (G.S.)
- Division of Imaging and Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.M.); (R.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Carl C. L. Schuurmans
- Departments of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.C.L.S.); (E.M.); (G.S.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Arto Urtti
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland;
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Institute of Chemistry, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskii Pr. 26, Petrodvorets, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Enrico Mastrobattista
- Departments of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.C.L.S.); (E.M.); (G.S.)
| | - Gert Storm
- Departments of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.C.L.S.); (E.M.); (G.S.)
- Department of Biomaterials Science and Technology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Chrit Moonen
- Division of Imaging and Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.M.); (R.D.)
| | - Kai Kaarniranta
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 100, 70029 Kuopio, Finland;
- Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Roel Deckers
- Division of Imaging and Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.M.); (R.D.)
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