They first tested their nanoparticles using ascites fluid from mice with human ovarian tumors and found that they could trap free-floating tumor cells using magnetic separation. They then repeated this experiment using ascites fluid obtained from four women with ovarian cancer, and again showed that they could remove all of the EphA2-positive cells from the intestinal fluid samples. The researchers suggest that these nanoparticles could be used in a system that removes ascites fluid from the intestinal cavity, using a relatively non-invasive method akin to dialysis, in conjunction with standard ovarian cancer therapy.
This work is detailed in a paper titled, “Selective removal of ovarian cancer cells from human ascites fluid using magnetic nanoparticles.” An abstract of this paper is available at the journal’s Web site.
View abstract.
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