The company of Valencia (Spain) Exploraciones Radiológicas Especiales S.A. (ERESA) coordinates a project financed by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the program “Challenges” in which Aimplas (Technological Institute of Plastic) participates, that will allow the development of innovative polymer markers that will improve the location of radiotherapy in prostate cancer.

These are biocompatible and biodegradable nanoparticles whose development will be carried to the preclinical stage and will be protected by patent when the project ends in 2018.

Currently, the markers used in these treatments consist of 1x4 mm gold seeds that serve to locate the location of the prostate through an imaging system that locates the area to be irradiated, monitoring the movement of the prostate during irradiation.

The new markers consist of the intelligent copolymers that change phase in contact with the human body and grant a location of the prosthesis more exact. Achieving to diminish the margins of safety that are applied and ensuring that the organ is always within the area of irradiation, so that the affected area is treated more accurately and the adverse effects of radiotherapy are minimized.

According to Amador García, principal investigator of the project in Aimplas, another advantage of these innovative markers is the fact that unlike gold, they are both visible through x-rays and resonance, as well as the fact that they are degraded by the organism.

Coordinated by ERESA, a diagnostic group by image and nuclear medicine in Spain with a strong specialization in Radiation Oncology, the project will be carried to its preclinical stage with tests in rodents and the results will be patented after its finalization in December 2018.

Source: MundoPlast
Lima, Peru