In the realm of tumor surgery, where every advance counts, a groundbreaking yet simple discovery is set to revolutionize the field. Researchers from the University of Western Australia developed a new treatment that significantly improves cancer surgery outcomes by creating a hostile microenvironment for tumor cells. Published in Cell Reports Medicine, their findings demonstrate that a new biomaterial called a hydrogel could be used directly on the site of a tumor.
image by Petra Klawikowski
Tumor surgery, combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, remains a key approach in cancer treatment. However, the risk of the cancer reappearing during the post-operative phase can range as high as 30% to 55%. Furthermore, evidence suggests any tumor cells missed by the scalpel may become more aggressive. These remaining cancerous cells undergo changes in protein transcription, promoting their proliferation and migration.
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in postoperative outcomes, yet our exploration and understanding of the TME remains limited.
Rwandamuriye et al.’s innovation takes advantage of access to the TME during surgery. They developed a topical treatment for the tumor site that creates a hostile microenvironment for tumor cells, ultimately improving surgical outcomes.
Their recent breakthrough is a new biomaterial, a hydrogel, designed to coat the former site of an excised tumor before the site is sutured shut. Hydrogels have a long history of use in human applications, with their physical properties customizable to optimize drug delivery dosage and active period.
Rwandamuriye et al.’s hydrogel is infused with an immunotherapy agent, toll-like receptor (TLR) 3 agonist polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, commonly known as poly[I:C]. Poly[I:C] can trigger a unique form of cell death called immunogenic cell death. This type of death signals the immune system, sparking an anti-tumor response at a location where lingering cancer cells might be hiding. By utilizing poly[I:C]-infused hydrogel, the researchers extended the release of the immunotherapeutic, effectively preventing tumor recurrence following surgery in multiple animal models. The treatment also has the potential to establish long-term systemic anti-cancer immunity.
The application of the hydrogel is simple, making it an attractive option for clinical use.
This discovery holds great promise, with the next crucial step involving human trials to validate the effectiveness and safety of the poly[I:C]-releasing hydrogel during tumor resection. This breakthrough could soon become an essential component of every new tumor surgery, offering hope to patients and clinicians alike in the fight against cancer.
Rwandamuriye et al., 2023 Cell Reports Medicine
Sources: Cell Reports Medicine, Neuro-Oncology, Translational Lung Cancer Research, The New England Journal of Medicine, Biomaterials, YouTube Science Magazine
