Early Detection of Breast Cancer through Near Infrared Nanoparticles

fluorescent nanoparticles accumulate in tumors of live mice
Fluorescent nanoparticles accumulate in tumors of live mice models. (Photo Credit: Adair Group, Penn State)

A new imaging method for breast cancer has been developed by a team of scientists from Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine and the departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Physics at Penn State. Using an innovative method of encapsulating near infrared fluorescent dyes inside 20 nm diameter nontoxic calcium phosphate capsules, the researchers were able to show a 200 percent increase in photoefficiency over dyes injected into the bloodstream and a 500 percent increase in photostability. By encapsulating the fluorescing dye indocyanine green into the nanoparticles, the researchers were able to detect 5mm diameter breast cancer tumors in a live mouse model over a period of four to five days.

The research, which was reported in the online edition of ACS Nano, was performed by Erhan I. Altinoglu, graduate student in materials science and engineering; Timothy J. Russin, graduate student in physics; James M. Kaiser, graduate student in pharmacology at Penn State College of Medicine; Brian M. Barth, a research associate in the Kester group; Peter Eklund, distinguished professor of physics and materials science and engineering; Mark Kester, G. Thomas Passananti professor of pharmacology; and Jim Adair, professor of materials science and engineering. Support for this research was provided by the Penn State Materials Research Institute and Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine. Partial support was also provided by Keystone Nano, Inc.

Read the full press release: Near Infrared Nanoparticles Shine a Bright Light on Cancer

This article was featured in Focus on Materials - Winter 2009.