New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS): Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) in Mohali, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have shown that a combination of ultra-small magnetic nanoparticles (MDs) along with a heat-based treatment can help reduce doses of chemotherapy and address its side effects.

The team used MDs along with a heat shock protein 90 inhibitor (HSP90i) at suboptimal doses for effective magnetic hyperthermia-based cancer therapy -- combined magnetic hyperthermia and chemotherapy (MHCT).

In rat models, the combination resulted in maximum glioma cell death. Within 8 days, the tumour inhibition rates reached 65 per cent and 53 per cent at the primary and secondary tumour sites, respectively, revealed the study published in the journal ACS Nano.

As cancer rates rise worldwide, the need for new treatment methods is crucial, said the team.

The novel method, the team said, is less invasive and causes fewer side effects. It also reduced the required amount of chemotherapy, making the treatment both safer and more effective.

On the other hand, chemotherapy and surgery are traditional treatments that come with various limitations from drug resistance to severe side effects.

The research team investigated the role of HSP90 -- a gene that is upregulated in response to heat stress. By inhibiting HSP90 using the drug 17-DMAG, they aimed to reduce the cells' ability to repair heat-induced damage, leading to enhanced tumour cell death.

“Extensive global research is needed to realise the clinical application of the new therapy, potentially developing an adjuvant or alternative cancer therapy,” the team said.

A key advantage of this innovative therapy lies in its potential to stimulate the immune system, enhancing the body’s natural defense against cancer. Furthermore, by overcoming drug resistance, a common challenge in cancer treatment, this approach offers a new frontier in combating this formidable disease.