Many predict that nanotechnology and NBICS technology will play a vital role in achieving the National Cancer Institute goal of eliminating suffering and death from cancer by 2015.  The National Cancer Institute formed the Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer in 2005 and allocated $US 144.5 million for a five-year plan to fight cancer.

The NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer  focuses on translational research and development work in six areas  where they think nanotechnology can have the biggest and fastest impact:

• molecular imaging and early detection;
• In vivo nanotechnology imaging systems;
• reporters of efficacy;
• multifunctional therapeutics;
• prevention and control; and
• research enablers.

The Alliance webpage offers academic papers in the following areas:

• nanobiology and cancer nanotechnology;
• nanotechnology devices and nanomaterials;
• nanotechnology-enabled therapeutics development and delivery;
• cancer diagnostics and biosensors;
• nanotechnologies in advanced imaging; and
• environment, health and safety.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and  the National Cancer Institute (NCI) established the Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory (NCL), which is “(a) to perform and standardize efficacy and toxicity testing of nanoparticles intended for cancer therapeutics and diagnostics; (b) to be a national resource and knowledge base for cancer researchers; and (c) to markedly speed the development of nanotechnology-based products for cancer patients.”

The NCL has developed an assay cascade to test nanomaterial.

The NCL states in its newsletter  that there is no requirement to use its testing services, however it hopes “other groups make use of the protocols it develops to conduct their own characterizations, from academic labs to contract research organizations to the internal R&D operations of a pharmaceutical company.”

It hopes the protocols it is developing to characterize nanoparticles will become “best practices” to evaluate nanomaterials for clinical applications. Once validated by NCL scientists, these protocols are made available to the public on the NCL website. Validated protocols are submitted to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other collaborators for comment and revision.

The NCL will submit certain protocols to ASTM (originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) or the International Standards Organization (ISO) for development of voluntary consensus standards (see step 3 above). The ASTM, is developing a standard on nanotechnology (ASTM E56 ) -- as is the ISO, with its TC229 committee on nanotechnology.

Recent nanocancer research is highlighted in a report I wrote recently.(1)
One method envisioned to fight cancer is “through the introduction of nanomagnetic particles into tumours. Under the influence of a magnetic field, these particles heat up and dissolve the tumour cells which are resorbed into the body.”  In January 2006 a clinical study was started on the MagForce Nano Cancer Therapy. A physical method to prepare copper-nickel alloy particles in the submicron range for possible self-controlled magnetic hyperthermia treatment  of cancer has also been developed.(2) 

Nanospectra  Biosciences AuroLase cancer therapy uses thermal destruction of solid tumors using AuroShell™ particles (also known as nanoshells). Nanoshells accumulate in cancer cells and heat up if exposed to near-infrared light, destroying the cancer cell in the process.  Nanospectra intends to seek FDA permission in 2007 to commence its first clinical trial in patients with head and neck cancer.

According to Nanospectra,  Nanoshell-based tumor cell ablation has a variety of advantages,  such as target specificity, better side-effect profiles than existing cancer treatments, and treatability of a variety of cancers.

Nanowerk has published a variety of articles on nanotechnology and cancer such as:  Quantum dots speed analysis of cellular cancer markers,   
Nanomotor research, Combining gold nanoparticles with viruses for a combinedthermal/gene cancer therapy, New potent nanoassemblies to fight cancer and HIV, "Nanocarriers could become an alternative to brain surgery".

Scientists at Stanford University have developed a new laser therapy that destroys cancer cells but leaves healthy ones unharmed using carbon nanotubes. Raoul Kopelman at the University of Michigan developed a Photodynamic therapy with Nanoparticles.  A team of investigators in Korea and USA have conducted a systematic tumor-targeting study using a variety of self-assembling nanoparticles. And one can go on. There are also nanoformulated drugs (upcoming column) and nano-delivery systems (upcoming columns).

The Choice is Yours

It is obvious that nanotechnology has a role to play in cancer treatment. However a number of questions remain: How safe are they? What will they cost ? and Can society afford broad nano-cancer treatments? We must also not neglect to eliminate the causes of cancer.

Gregor Wolbring is a biochemist, bioethicist, science and technology ethicist, disability/vari-ability studies scholar, and health policy and science and technology studies researcher at the University of Calgary. He is a member of the Center for Nanotechnology and Society at Arizona State University; Member CAC/ISO - Canadian Advisory Committees for the International Organization for Standardization section TC229 Nanotechnologies; Member of the editorial team for the Nanotechnology for Development portal of the Development Gateway Foundation; Chair of the Bioethics Taskforce of Disabled People's International; and Member of the Executive of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. He publishes the Bioethics, Culture and Disability website, moderates a weblog for the International Network for Social Research on Diasbility, and authors a weblog on NBICS and its social implications.

© Gregor Wolbring, All Rights Reserved, 2007. Please contact the author for permission to reprint.