Improving Biopsies using Magnetic Nanoparticles

描述(由申请人提供)： 在儿童急性淋巴细胞性白血病(ALL)和老年患者的骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)中，测量微小残留病(MRD)以监测早期化疗进展至关重要。这些测量决定了治疗的预后、疗效和水平。通常的检测和监测方法是通过骨髓活检。不幸的是，这种40年来没有改变的方法需要多次活检才能获得足够的样本，而且必须定期进行活检，以监测治疗情况。通过使用标记的磁性纳米颗粒和“智能”的磁性收集方法，可以提高活检的效率和特异性。这些抗体标记的磁性纳米颗粒大量附着在特定的癌细胞上，然后这些细胞被磁性收集。由于特定细胞类型的效率和特异性的提高，这种磁性活组织检查技术采样的血清体积更大，需要的活组织检查更少。该方法也可用于对转移性病变进行采样，并可推广到实体肿瘤。在这些过程之后，涂有抗癌剂的磁性纳米颗粒可能会被磁浓缩，从而在癌症部位产生直接的治疗干预。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In children with acute lymphomatic leukemia (ALL) and in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with older patients it is extremely important to measure the minimal residual disease (MRD) to monitor the progress of chemotherapy at early stages. Such measurements determine the prognosis, efficacy, and levels of the treatment. The normal method for detection and monitoring is through bone marrow biopsies. Unfortunately, this method, which has not changed in 40 years, requires multiple biopsies to obtain sufficient samples and these must be made at periodic intervals to monitor the treatment. The efficiency and specificity of biopsies can be improved through the use of labeled magnetic nanoparticles and "smart" magnetic collection methods. These antibody-labeled magnetic nanoparticles attach to specific cancer cells in large numbers and the cells are then collected magnetically. This magnetic biopsy technique samples more serum volume requiring fewer biopsies due to the increased efficiency and specificity for particular cell types. The method may also be used for sampling metastatic lesions and may be extended to solid tumors. Following these procedures, magnetic nanoparticles coated with anti-cancer agents may be magnetically concentrated, resulting in direct therapeutic intervention at the cancer site.