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Jacob Kaiser

NSCI-117-E01C

Essay 2-Comm. 102

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death across the world. No one ever wants to hear

a doctor tell them that they have been diagnosed with cancer. This disease starts within the cells

and slowly spreads throughout the specific body part forming a tumor. There are more than 100

forms of cancer so therefore it is nearly impossible to find cures for each of them. That is where

nanotechnology will play a major factor in finding and treating cancer. Nanotechnology can

locate the tumor and with the help of nanomedicine, help treat the patient in safer and less

painful ways; possibly saving millions of lives. Therefore, nanoparticles are the next step in

cancer treatment and even the best scientific discovery of the twenty-first century.

Magnetic nanoparticles(MNPs) have been recently discovered to be a source that helps

locate and treat patients with cancer. The study involving MNPs, has caused such attention

because, like a Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI), involves such magnetic susceptibly and

other select physical features such as its firmness that makes it helpful in the cancer treatment

and diagnosis field (Khiabani, Farshbaf, Akbarzadeh, & Davaran, 2016). MNPs is a very

controlled substance that makes it also easy to work with. With it being a controlled substance, it

still needs preparation for it to work correctly. Experts plan to use this more in line with the MRI,

and use several techniques to make it run best. As most people know, MRIs are use of extremely

magnetic systems, so the MNPs are to be dispersed in the correct amount for the MRI to make a

controlled release of them (Khiabani, Farshbaf, Akbarzadeh, & Davaran, 2016). This is to be

done correct because it balances out the magnetization during the MRI that is to help the specific
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body part. Different techniques have also been planned so experts are still made to focus on

making sure preparation is done correct for the MNPs to do the correct treatment. Furthermore,

the treatment has many outcomes that are believed to be able to help spot cancer in the early

stages of its formation.

Cancer advancements, no matter big or small, always have a positive step towards

helping cure it. US National Cancer Institute has verified that MNPs will a major factor in future

preclusion, indicative research, and treatment of cancer tumors (Karkan, Mohammadhosseini,

Panahi, & Milani, 2016). The treatment involving the MNPs includes iron and nickel which is

then directed by a magnetic field to the spot of the cancer cells. The process of this treatment

includes inserting the nanoparticles in the patient and when they go through an MRI, the contrast

of the pictures becomes clearer. It also detects several cancer phases that, before this study, were

never able to be spotted by just the MRI alone. Another technique used, is the MNP

hyperthermia process which destroys the tumor. The technology is using the magnetic field to

vacillate the MNPs to a specific spot and create heat. Then, the heat works as energy in the spot

of the tumor and reduces the cancer cells significantly (Karkan, Mohammadhosseini, Panahi, &

Milani, 2016). With this advancement, experts are also working on making a drug that works the

same way as the hyperthermia to make treatment easier. MNPs is turning into a very useful

source because with cancer being extremely common, spotting it early and often can save

virtually millions of lives. Furthermore, MNPs has not only been helpful in spotting several spots

early, but spotting breast cancer has been one of the main forms of cancer that has been helped

with hyperthermia.

Breast cancer is a very common form of cancer found within majority women. This form

of cancer is the second leading cause of death in the cancer world (Keshtkar, Gahrouei,
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Khoshfetrat, Mehrgardi, & Aghaei, 2016). MRIs are usually always used to try and help identify

whether the patient has breast cancer. The problem with only the using MRIs, as said earlier, is

they dont always catch the earliest stages of cancer so therefore they cant treat this person right

away. That is where the MNPs have become a major step in solving this problem early in a

womens body who has breast cancer. The study done by the American Cancer Society was using

the nanoparticles to locate and contrast the image of the spot where the tumor is to make early

detection a key to start early treatment. Early detection/treatment nearly always means that

person with the cancer has a greater chance of surviving. The nanoparticles are effective because

they have such low toxicity so it doesnt harm the person they go into. Aptamer-conjugated

magnetic nanoparticles are used as targeted magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent for breast

cancer and they also can use hyperthermia method to help cure the cancer (Keshtkar, Gahrouei,

Khoshfetrat, Mehrgardi, & Aghaei, 2016). With methods like MNPs, the outcomes of future

breast cancer patients and even other cancer forms can be turned to possible life savers for

people across the world.

Cancer research has been working all around the world to find the cure to cancer. With

cancer being one of the leading cause in deaths across the world, why would MNPs not be

brought on more in treatments. Everyone around the world has a family member or friend that

has been through or passed away from cancer and would love to see cancer be gone forever. This

advancement with nanoparticles is the next step in the best and safest way to help knock out

cancer. Experts around the world also believe MNPs need to be further progressed and fixed up

to be even more powerful and safer in cancer treatment. Hyperthermia has proven to be a

successful way to locate and treat cancer within a humans body. Even what people believe to be

such a small advancement, could mean a huge step towards future and great success to cure
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cancer. Therefore, magnetic nanoparticles are the next advancement in ending this terrible

disease forever and the best scientific advancement in the twenty-first century.

Word Count: 1004

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Bibliography
Karkan, S., Mohammadhosseini, M., Panahi, Y., & Milani, M. (2016). Magnetic nanoparticles in
cancer diagnosis and treatment: a review. ARTIFICIAL CELLS, NANOMEDICINE, AND
BIOTECHNOLOGY, 45(1), 1-5.
Keshtkar, M., Gahrouei, D., Khoshfetrat, S., Mehrgardi, M., & Aghaei, M. (2016). Aptamer-
conjugated Magnetic Nanoparticles as Targeted Magnetic. Journal of Medical Signals &
Sensors, 6(4), 243-249.
Khiabani, S., Farshbaf, M., Akbarzadeh, A., & Davaran, S. (2016). Magnetic nanoparticles:
preparation methods, applications in cancer diagnosis. ARTIFICIAL CELLS,
NANOMEDICINE, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, 45(1), 6-17.