Increasing the efficiency of the retinoblastoma brachytherapy protocol with ultrasonic hyperthermia and gold nanoparticles: a rabbit model

Abstract

Purpose

This study purposed to evaluate the efficacy of brachytherapy with the modality of ultrasonic hyperthermia in the presence of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on an ocular retinoblastoma tumor in an animal model of the rabbit.

Materials and methods

A retinoblastoma tumor was induced by the injection of the human cell line of Y79 in rabbit eyes (n = 41). After two weeks, tumor size reached a diameter of about 5–7 mm. Seven groups were involved: control, GNPs injection, hyperthermia, hyperthermia with GNPs injection, brachytherapy with I-125, a combination of hyperthermia and brachytherapy, and a combination of brachytherapy, hyperthermia and, GNPs. The tumor area was measured using B-mode ultrasound images on the zero-day and at the end of the third week. The groups were evaluated for a histopathological study of tumor necrosis.

Results

There was a significant difference between the relative area changes of tumor in the combination group with the other study groups (p < .05). The results of histopathologic studies confirmed the necrosis of living retinoblastoma cells.

Conclusion

Combination therapy of brachytherapy and hyperthermia with GNPs reduces the relative size of the tumor. This method increases the necrosis percentage of retinoblastoma and significantly reduces the retinoblastoma mass in the rabbit eyes.

Keywords:

• Brachytherapy
• ultrasound hyperthermia
• gold nanoparticle
• retinoblastoma

Acknowledgments

This study was approved by the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University. The authors thank and appreciate the health physics team of Farabi Eye Hospital especially Mr. Mojtaba Arjmand for providing the plaque brachytherapy facilities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Somayeh Moradi

Somayeh Moradi, PhD, graduated in Medical Physics at Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran, Iran. Her research is about Sonotherapy and radiation effects.

Manijhe Mokhtari-Dizaji

Manijhe Mokhtari-Dizaji, PhD, is Professor in Medical Physics at Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran, Iran. Her research is about Ultrasound waves, Cavitation, and Ultrasonic Tissue Characterization.

Fariba Ghassemi

Fariba Ghassemi, MD, is an Associate Professor in Retinal Surgeon and Ophthalmic Oncologist at Eye Research Center, Farabi Eye Hospital at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Her research is on Ophthalmic Oncology, Retina and Vitreous.

Shahab Sheibani

Shahab Sheibani, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Radiation Application Research School, Nuclear Science and, Technology Research Institute in Tehran, Iran. His research is about radiopharmaceutical development.

Fahimeh Asadi Amoli

Fahimeh Asadi Amoli, MD, is a Professor in Pathology at Eye Research Center, Farabi Eye Hospital, and Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Her research is about Pathology methods.