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FrequentlyAskedQuestions:CancerNanotechnology

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FrequentlyAskedQuestions:CancerNanotechnology

Understanding
Nanotechnology

November2013

VideoJourneyInto
Nanotechnology

1. Whatisnanotechnology?Whatisananometer?

Nanowires

2. Whatarenanoscalebiomedicaldevices?

Cantilevers

3. Whyisnanotechnologyanimportanttoolforcancerresearch?

Nanoshells

4. Whatisthepromiseofnanotechnologyforcancerdetectionandtherapy?

ImageLibrary

5. WhathasbeenNCI'sexperienceinfundingcancerrelatednanotechnologyresearch

ToolsforEducation
Cancer
NanotechnologyFAQ
Glossary
ImpactsonCancer
WhereItStandsNow

anddevelopment?
6. WhatistheNCIAllianceforNanotechnologyinCancerandhowwasitdeveloped?
7. IsNCItakingstepstoensurethatallnanodevicesaresafefortheindividualand
theenvironment?
8. WhatistheNanotechnologyCharacterizationLaboratory?
9. Arethereanyrealworldexamplesshowingthepromiseofnanotechnology?
10. Iminterestedinlearningaboutcancertreatments/clinicaltrialsrelatedto
nanotechnology.HowdoIfindinformationaboutparticipatinginclinicaltrials?

1.Whatisnanotechnology?Whatisananometer?
Nanotechnologyisthecreationofusefulmaterials,devices,andsystemsusedto
manipulatematteratanincrediblysmallscalebetween1and100nanometers.
Ananometerisonebillionthofameter1/80,000thewidthofahumanhair,orabout
tentimesthediameterofahydrogenatom.Suchnanoscaleobjectscanbeusefulby
themselves,oraspartoflargerdevicescontainingmultiplenanoscaleobjects.
Nanotechnologyhasthepotentialtoenablethetranslationofmolecularbasedscience
intoclinicaladvances,therebyfacilitatingmajorprogressintheearlydetection,diagnosis
andtreatmentofcancer.
Theemergingfieldofnanotechnologyinvolvesscientistsfrommanydifferentdisciplines
includingphysicists,chemists,engineers,materialscientistsandbiologists.
Nanotechnologyisbeingappliedtoalmosteveryindustryimaginable,including,butnot
limitedtoelectronics,magneticsandoptoelectronics,energy,informationtechnology,
materialsdevelopment,transportation,pharmaceuticals,andbiomedicalapplications.
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2.Whatarenanoscalebiomedicaldevices?
Nanoscaledevicesarethesamesizeasmanyimportantbiologicalobjects,andtherefore
canbeusedtoseeandmanipulatebiologicalactivityinvisibletothenakedeye.Nanoscale
devicesaresmallerthanhumancells,whichare10,000to20,000nanometersin
diameter,andcellularcomponents,suchasmitochondria,thatareinsidecells.Nanoscale
devicesaresimilarinsizetolargebiomolecules,suchasenzymesandreceptors
http://nano.cancer.gov/learn/understanding/faq.asp

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devicesaresimilarinsizetolargebiomolecules,suchasenzymesandreceptors
hemoglobin,forexample,isapproximatelyfivenanometersindiameter,whileacell'swall
isaroundsixnanometersthick.Theycan,therefore,performtasksinsidethebodythat
wouldotherwisenotbepossible.
Forexample,nanoscaledevicessmallerthan50nanometerscaneasilyentermostcells,
whilethosesmallerthan20nanometerscanmovethroughthewallsofbloodvessels.As
aresult,nanoscaledevicescanreadilyinteractwithmoleculesonboththecellsurfaceand
withinthecell.Largerdevices,suchasmicrofluidicchips,arealsobeingdevelopedwith
nanoscalecomponentsforadvanceddiagnosticsapplications.
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3.Whyisnanotechnologyanimportanttoolforcancerresearch?
Thereareseveralreasonsthatnanotechnologycouldtransformcancerresearchand
clinicalapproachestocancercare:
Mostbiologicalprocesses,includingthoseprocessesleadingtocancer,occuratthe
nanoscale.Forcancerresearchers,nanotechnologyoffersunprecedentedmeansto
monitorandmanipulatetheseprocessesinthesearchforcures.
Theabilitytosimultaneouslyinteractwithmultiplecriticalproteinsandnucleic
acidsatthemolecularlevelwillprovideabetterunderstandingofthecomplex
behaviorofcellsintheirnormalstateaswellasthetransformationintomalignant
cells.
Nanotechnologyprovidesaplatformforintegratingresearchinproteomicsthe
studyofthestructureandfunctionofproteins,includingthewaytheyworkand
interactwitheachotherinsidecellswithotherscientificinvestigationsintothe
molecularnatureofcancer.
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4.Whatisthepromiseofnanotechnologyforcancerdetectionandtherapy?
Nanotechnologyoffersawealthoftoolsthatareprovidingcancerresearcherswithnew
andinnovativewaystodiagnoseandtreatcancer.Nanotechnologyresearchisleadingto
advancesinearlydetection,molecularimaging,assessmentoftherapeuticefficacy,
targetedandmultifunctionaltherapeutics,andpreventionandcontrolofcancer.
Already,nanotechnologyhasbeenusedtocreatenewandimprovedwaystofindsmall
tumorsthroughimaging,andworkiscurrentlybeingdonetomovethesenewresearch
toolsintoclinicalpractice.Nanoscaledrugdeliverydevicesarebeingdevelopedtodeliver
anticancertherapeuticsspecificallytotumors,andsomearealreadyonthemarket.
Inthenearfuture,nanoscaledevicescouldofferthepotentialtodetectcanceratits
earlieststageandsimultaneouslydeliveranticanceragentstothediscoveredtumor.
Nanotechnologyprovidesopportunitiestopreventcancerprogression.Forexample,
nanoscalesystems,becauseoftheirsmalldimensions,couldbeappliedtostopprogression
ofductaltypesofbreastcancers.
Examplesofnanotechnologyincancerresearchtodayincludethefollowing:
Nanoscalecantileversandnanowiresensorscandetectbiomarkersofcancerfroma
singlecell,whichheretoforewasunimaginable.
Nanoparticlescanaidinimagingmalignantlesions,sosurgeonsknowwherethe
cancerisandhowtoremoveit.
Nanoshellscankilltumorcellsselectively,sopatientsdon'tsufferterribleside
effectsfromhealthycellsbeingdestroyed.
Dendrimerscansequesterdrugstoreducesystemicsideeffects,delivermultiple
drugstomaximizetherapeuticimpact,andrapidlydiscerneffectivenessofadrug.
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drugstomaximizetherapeuticimpact,andrapidlydiscerneffectivenessofadrug.

Biosensorscanmonitorgeneticchangesandhyperplasiatopreventcancer
progression.
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5.WhathasbeenNCI'sexperienceinfundingcancerrelatednanotechnology
researchanddevelopment?
TheNCIhasbeenaleaderinfundingcancerrelatednanotechnologyresearchfornearly
twodecades.TheNCIhasfundednumerousprojectsthathavedemonstratedthe
potentialofcancernanotechnology.
In2004,NCIlaunchedtheAllianceforNanotechnologyinCancertoadvanceanumberof
promisingnanotechnologiesforthediagnosis,treatmentandpreventionofcancer,inits
firstfiveyears.ThesuccessoftheprogramledNCItoannounceinSeptember2010its
continuedsupportoftheAlliancewiththeawardoffiveyear,multiinstitutiongrantsto
generatenewpreventative,diagnosticandtherapeuticapproachestocancerinareas
whereimprovementscannotberealizedusingexistingtechnologies.Giventheprogressto
date,theNCIcommittedaninvestmentofapproximately$30millionperyearforthe
nextfiveyearsforthesecondphaseoftheAlliancesresearchandtraininginitiatives.
Inaddition,NCIhasfundedseveralhighlysuccessfulcancernanotechnologyresearch
projectsviatheUnconventionalInnovationsProgram(UIP)andtheInnovativeMolecular
AnalysisTechnologiesProgram.TheUIPbeganin1999andinvested$50millionovera
tenyearperiod.Someexamplesofworkconductedbytheseprojectsincludenovel
technologiesfornoninvasivedetection,diagnosis,andtreatmentofcancer,and
immunoliposometechnologyfortumortargeteddrug/probedelivery.
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6.WhatistheNCIAllianceforNanotechnologyinCancer?
Tocapitalizeonthepromiseofnanotechnologyincancer,theNationalCancerInstitute
(NCI)launchedtheAllianceforNanotechnologyinCancerinSeptember2004.The
Alliance,builtonastrongfoundationofscienceandscientificaccomplishment,isa
comprehensive,systematizedinitiativeencompassingthepublicandprivatesectors.The
Allianceisdesignedtospeedtheuseofnanotechnologytoaddressthemajorchallengesin
clinicaloncologyandbasiccancerresearch.
TheAlliancehasfivemajorcomponents:
CentersofCancerNanotechnologyExcellence(CCNEs)NCIhasfundednine
multidisciplinaryCentersthataretheprimarycomponentsfordiscoveryandtool
developmentofnanotechnologyinclinicaloncology.
CancerNanotechnologyPlatformPartnerships(CNPP)NCIhasawarded12
partnershipsthataredesignedtopromoteandsupportindividual,circumscribed
multidisciplinaryresearchprojectsthatwilladdressmajorbarriersand
fundamentalquestionsincancerusinginnovativenanotechnologysolutions.
CancerNanotechnologyTrainingCenters(CNTC)NCIhasnamedsixCNTCswith
thegoalofeducatingandtrainingresearchersfromdiversefieldsintheuseof
nanotechnologybasedapproachestoadvanceunderstandingofcancerbiologyand
createnewmethodsandtoolsfortheprevention,diagnosisandtreatmentof
cancer.
PathwaytoIndependenceAwardsinCancerNanotechnologyResearchSeven
awardshavebeenfundedforthetransitionofpostdoctoralscientistsworkingon
cancernanotechnologyfrommentoredenvironmentstoindependence.
NanotechnologyCharacterizationLaboratory(NCL)TheNanotechnology
CharacterizationLaboratory(NCL)performsandstandardizesthepreclinical
http://nano.cancer.gov/learn/understanding/faq.asp

characterizationofnanomaterialsintendedforcancertherapeuticsanddiagnostics

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characterizationofnanomaterialsintendedforcancertherapeuticsanddiagnostics
developedbyresearchersfromacademia,governmentandindustry.
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7.IsNCItakingstepstoensurethatallnanodevicesaresafefortheindividual
andtheenvironment?
TheNCIrecognizestheimportanceofadvancingourknowledgeandunderstandingofthe
technology,whilealsoensuringthatthetechnologyissafeandeffective.Thesuccessof
effortsinthefieldiscontingentuponscientificexcellenceinresearchanddevelopment
thatisbothethicalandsafeforthebodyandtheenvironment.TheNCIissystematically
addressingtheseissueswithinthepurviewofitsbiomedicalexpertiseandits
collaborations,primarilythroughitsNanotechnologyCharacterizationLaboratory.TheNCI
partneredwiththeNationalInstituteofStandardsandTechnology(NIST)tohelpdevelop
criteriatodefineallthekeyphysicalandbiologicalcharacteristicsofnanodevicesintended
foruseincancerrelatednanotechnologyresearch.Furthermore,theNCIexpandedits
interactionwiththeFDAtofacilitatesmoothertransitionfrombenchtobedsideby
ensuringthatresearchershavesufficientandappropriatedatatoguidethedevelopment
ofsafeandefficientnanodevices.
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8.WhatistheNanotechnologyCharacterizationLaboratory?
Oneofthemajorchallengesinlifesciencesandcancerresearchatthistimeistheneedto
thoroughlydelineatethebiologicalandphysicalcharacteristicsofgivennanotechnologies
astheyaredeveloped,sothatresearchknowledgecanbesharedandbuiltuponasrapidly
aspossible.
Withthevastnumberofnanodevicesbeingusedincancerresearch,itisnecessaryto
developacommonlexiconorvocabularythatresearcherscanusetobetterunderstand
theirtestresults.Thislexiconcanalsobeusedbyresearcherswhoarebeginningnew
researchprojectstoavoidinitialandtimeconsumingcharacterizationefforts.The
NanotechnologyCharacterizationLaboratory(NCL)wasestablishedbytheNCItoprovide
thisframework.AprimaryobjectiveoftheNCListodevelopdataonhownanomaterials
andnanodevicesinteractwithbiologicalsystems.Theseresearchendeavorscharta
commonbaselineandcompilescientificdatathatinformresearchanddevelopmentas
wellasregulatoryactionsinvolvingnanoscalediagnostics,imagingagentsand
therapeutics.Moreover,thisinformationislinkedtoNCIsupportedCancerCentersand
relatedprogramsthroughpublicdatabasesavailablethroughNCI'scancerBiomedical
InformaticsGrid(caBIG).
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9.Arethereanyrealworldexamplesshowingthepromiseofnanotechnology?
Yes,thereareseveralnanotechnologybaseddrugsonthemarketandmanymorein
clinicaltrials,includingthefollowingapplications:
Liposomes,whicharefirstgenerationnanoscaledevices,arebeingusedasdrug
deliveryvehiclesinseveralproducts.Forexample,liposomalamphotericinBisused
totreatfungalinfectionsoftenassociatedwithaggressiveanticancertreatmentand
liposomaldoxorubicinisusedtotreatsomeformsofcancer.Nanoparticulateiron
oxideparticlescanbeusedwithmagneticresonanceimaging(MRI)toaccurately
detectmetastaticlesionsinlymphnodeswithoutsurgery.
Linking"biologic"drugstopolymersisbeingusedtopreventthedrugfrom
inappropriatelyactivatingtheimmunesystem.
Chemotherapeuticandradioactiveagentsarebeingtargeteddirectlytocancerous
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cellsbyattachingantibodiesthatseekoutmoleculesontheircellsurface.
Chemotherapeuticdrugslikepaclitaxelareboundtoandconcentratedonalbumin
proteinstorenderthemmoreeffectiveatthetarget.
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10.Iminterestedinlearningaboutcancertreatments/clinicaltrialsrelatedto
nanotechnology.HowdoIfindinformationaboutparticipatinginclinicaltrials?
Forbackgroundinformationaboutclinicaltrialswhattheyare,whethertheymightbeof
benefittoyouseeLearnAboutClinicalTrials.Tofindaspecificcancerclinicaltrial,see
theClinicalTrialsSearchForm.Moreclinicaltrialrelatedinformationisavailableinother
areasoftheClinicalTrialssectionoftheNCIwebsite.
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