"Injection That Directly Attacks Cancer" Developed in China Using Iron-Infused Nanocarbon

Phase 1 trial shows effects in 16 of 19 patients
Targets cancer cells using wastewater treatment principles
Safety needs improvement... Phase 2 trial underway

Chinese researchers are developing a treatment that uses an injectable combination of tiny carbon particles and iron to stop cancer cells from growing, drawing inspiration from wastewater treatment technology.

On October 17, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a research team led by Wang Yongsheng, a professor at the Cancer Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, said, “In the recent Phase I trial, 84.2% of patients who completed follow-up experienced a reduction in the cancer at the injection site or a halt in its growth.” The study was published in the international journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.

The researchers began their work with the idea of using “wastewater treatment technology” to clean dirty water. When iron reacts with hydrogen peroxide, it produces substances that strongly oxidize and damage nearby materials. This reaction can be used to effectively break down pollutants during wastewater treatment.

The microenvironment around cancer cells, known as the tumor microenvironment, has far higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide than normal cells. When iron ions enter this environment, they catalyze a reaction with hydrogen peroxide that produces an enormous amount of highly destructive reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl radicals). These reactive oxygen species tear through the lipid membranes of cancer cells, inducing cell death.

However, if iron ions are injected on their own, they can spread throughout the body via the bloodstream or cause toxicity. The research team developed an experimental injectable drug called “CNSI-Fe” by mixing ferrous sulfate, which supplies iron, into a nanocarbon injection containing tiny carbon particles dispersed in liquid. The nanocarbon particles act like a sponge or mesh, keeping the iron-containing substance inside the tumor for longer.

Initially, nanocarbon injections were used in China to assist surgery. They stained lymph nodes black so doctors could locate them more easily, serving as a marker. The researchers combined the nanocarbon with iron to develop a drug that directly attacks cancer cells.

The researchers administered the drug to 19 patients whose cancers had not responded well to existing treatments. The patients had head and neck, pancreatic, lung, ovarian, breast, or vulvar cancer, or sarcoma (cancer arising in muscle, nerves, fat, or other tissues, excluding bone). Of these, 16 had stage IV cancer that had spread to other parts of the body.

The researchers injected the drug directly into the tumors, using ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scans to locate them. Twelve patients received one treatment, and seven received two. The dosage varied from patient to patient.

After treatment, the tumors shrank in two patients, while 14 had stable disease, with no further cancer growth. When the entire body was assessed, including cancer in other parts of the body, one patient had a reduction in cancer and 12 had stable disease. There were also side effects. A total of 89.5% of patients experienced pain at the injection site, and about 53% showed symptoms of high blood pressure. In about 47% of patients each, iron levels in the blood rose and symptoms of anemia occurred. One patient discontinued the trial due to a hypersensitivity reaction. However, no serious blood toxicity or liver or kidney toxicity was observed.

The researchers said that the treatment’s efficacy and safety need to be further confirmed. They are currently conducting a Phase II trial at more than 10 hospitals in China, involving 52 patients whose cancers have not responded well to existing treatments.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.