Built-in light to treat cancer

The treatment should be highly effective and have as few side effects as possible-this is a big challenge, especially in the case of cancer

Classical photodynamic therapy is a relatively mild non-invasive cancer treatment because of its specific spatial and temporal selectivity

The team led by Sun Xiaolian (China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing) and Shao Guoqiang (Nanjing Medical University) has now developed a new photodynamic tumor therapy that is effective for deep tumors

This "smart" drug is composed of four components and connected into a single molecule: photosensitizer (pyrophosphorimide-a), pH sensor (diisopropylamino), polymer (polyethylene glycol) And "light" (the amino acid tyrosine that carries the radioactive iodine-131 isotope)

How does this "built-in light" work? As it decays, the radioactive iodine isotope I-131 releases beta radiation (electrons) and gamma radiation

About the author

Dr.

Magazine

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

DOI

10.