Our Funds at Work

Carbon Nanotube Assisted Laser Thermotherapy of Skin Cancers

Haishan Zeng, MD, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Skin cancers are treated mostly by surgery and radiotherapy. These conventional treatments often lead to undesirable cosmetic results (scars) and sometimes dysfunction of important body sites. Recently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as an alternative treatment modality that combines light and photosensitizer to selectively destroy the tumor and preserve normal tissues. However, PDT relies on the generation of singlet oxygen and are dependent on local tissue oxygen supply. The biological variation among individual patients and among individual lesions makes the local oxygen supply highly variable and PDT dosimetry difficult. In this proposal we aim to develop a novel photothermotherapy based on hyperthermia induced by the strong absorption of carbon nanotubes to near infrared light. Mouse squamous cell carcinoma models will be used to test the treatment in this pilot study. We will deliver carbon nanotubes by intratumoral injection. 785 nm laser light will then be used to irradiate the tumor and generate heat to raise the local temperature by about 10 C. Cancer cells will be killed by local hyperthermia. Optical spectroscopy will be used to assess the nanotube distributions in the tumor. Dosimetry can be easily performed by monitoring tumor temperature using an infrared thermometer. We expect that our research will eventually lead to an easy-to-operate cancer treatment modality with good cosmetic results and minimum side-effects.

Peer-Reviewed Publications Supported by the Canadian Dermatology Foundation

1. Huang, Z, Lui H, Chen MXK, McLean DI, Zeng, H.: Raman Spectroscopy of In Vivo Cutaneous Melanin. J. of Biomedical Optics, 9(6):1198-1205, 2004.
2. Hamzavi, I.,Jain, H., McLean, D.I., Shapiro, J., Zeng, H., Lui, H.: Parametric Modelling of Narrow Band UV-B Phototherapy for Vitiligo Using a Novel Quantitative Tool, Arch. Dermatol. 140: 677-683, 2004.
3. Tang L, Cao L, Sundberg JP, LUI H, Shapiro J. Restoration of hair growth in mice with an alopecia areata-like disease using topical anthralin. Exp Dermatol 2004; 13:5-10.
4. Huang, Z, Lui, H., McLean, DI, Korbelik, Zeng, H: Raman Spectroscopy in Combination with Background Near-Infrared Autofluorescence Enhances the In Vivo Assessment of Malignant Tissues. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 81: 1219-1226, 2005
5. Lau DP, Huang Z, Lui H, Anderson DW, Berean K, Morrison MD, Shen L, Zeng H. Raman spectroscopy for optical diagnosis in the larynx: preliminary findings. Lasers Surg Med. 37(3):192-200. (2005).
6. Hamzavi, I.,Shiff, N., Martinka, M., Huang, Z., McLean, DI., Zeng, H., Lui, H.: Spectroscopic Assessment of Dermal Melanin using Blue Vitiligo as an in vivo Model. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 22:46-51, 2006.
7. Short, M.A., Lui, H., McLean, D.I., Zeng, H., Alajlan, A., Chen, M.X.: Demonstrating Changes in Nuclei and Peritumoral Collagen within Nodular Basal Cell Carcinomas Via Confocal Micro-Raman Spectroscopy, J of Biomedical Optics, 11: 034004, 2006.
8. Huang, Z, Zeng, H, Hamzavi, I, Alajlan, A, Tan, E, McLean, DI, Lui, H.: Cutaneous Melanin Exhibits Fluorescence Emission Under Near-Infrared Light Excitation. J. of Biomedical Optics, 11: 034010, 2006.
9. Markhvida, I, Tchvialeva, L, Lee, TK, and Zeng, H.: The Influence of Geometry on Polychromatic Speckle Contrast, Journal of OSA A, 24(1): 93-97, 2007.
10. Chen, R., Huang, Z., Lui, H., Hamzavi, I., McLean, D.I., Xie, S., Zeng, H.: Monte Carlo simulation of cutaneous reflectance and fluorescence measurements —— the effect of melanin contents and localization, Journal of photochemistry and photobiology B: Biology, 86(3): 219-226, 2007
11. Zhao, J., Lui, H., McLean, D. I., Zeng, H.: Towards Instrument Independent Quantitative Measurement of Fluorescence Intensity in Fiber Optic Spectrometer Systems, Applied Optics, 46(29):7132-7140, 2007
12. Zhao, J., Lui, H., McLean, D. I., Zeng, H.: Automated Autofluorescence Background Subtraction Algorithm for Biomedical Raman Spectroscopy, Applied Spectroscopy, 61(11):1225-1232, 2007
13. Zhao, J., Lui, H., McLean, D. I., Zeng, H.: Integrated Real-time Raman System for Clinical In Vivo Skin Analysis, Skin Research and Technology, 14: 484-492, 2008.
14. Zeng, H, Zhao J, Short M, McLean D, Lam S, McWilliams A, and Lui H: Raman Spectroscopy for in vivo Tissue Analysis and Diagnosis – from Instrument Development to Clinical Applications. Journal of Innovative Optical Health Sciences, 1(1): 95-106, 2008.
15. Tchvialeva, L, Lee, TK, Markhvida, I, Mclean, DI, Lui, H. and Zeng, H.: Using a zone model to incorporate the influence of geometry on polychromatic speckle contrast, Optical Engineering, 47(7): 074201, 2008.
16. Cluff, GM, Short, MA, Lui, H, McLean, DI, Zeng, H, Korbelik, M, Chen, MX: Comparison of Connective Tissue Invaded by Lewis Lung Carcinoma to Healthy Connective Tissue by Means of Micro-Raman Spectroscopy, J, of Raman Spectroscopy, 2008 (Accepted).
17. Han, X., Lui, H., McLean, DI, Zeng, H.: Near-infrared autofluorescence imaging of cutaneous melanins and human skin in vivo, J. of Biomedical Optics, 2009 (Accepted).

© 2009