Tracking the spread of cancer: Nano-sized particles hunt down cancer cells (5/4/2008)

Pioneering the use of nanomedicine to catch the spread of cancer at its earliest stage is the focus of one of 76 new research grants announced today by the Canadian Cancer Society.

The new $253,000, three-year grant will study "targeted cellular imaging"-a simple, non-surgical method of detecting metastatic cancer well before it reaches an untreatable stage. The study's lead researcher, Dr. Paula Foster of the Robarts Research Institute at the University of Western Ontario, says metastasis-when cancer spreads from its original location to another part of the body-is the most common cause of cancer death.

"The earlier we can detect the spread of cancer, the better the patient's outcome is likely to be," says Dr. Foster, who is pioneering this technique on mice and predicts it will be ready to test with humans in five years. Her lab was the first in the world to show that it's possible to track a single cancer cell.

Currently, the only way to find out if cancer has spread is by performing a surgical lymph-node biopsy. There are also blood tests for some inherited forms of cancer. Dr. Foster's targeted cellular imaging technique involves a safe, simple injection of tiny amounts of iron oxide combined with certain cancer-binding antibodies, and then watching the particles migrate towards the cancer, using MRI. These nanoparticles can be as small as one-billionth of a metre, far too small to be seen with a conventional lab microscope.

"One of the things we're so excited about is that we can be so specific with this advanced MRI technology," says Dr. Foster. Using a specialized micro-imager, researchers can watch the magnetic particles as they travel around the body to hunt down and then stick to the cancer.

Dr. Paula Foster's story

This Canadian Cancer Society grant is Dr. Foster's first cancer research grant. She spent the early years of her research career developing the cell-tracking technology, but didn't initially make the link to cancer. "I knew we were really on to something when I showed it to my colleagues who are cancer researchers, and they were just blown away by the possibilities," she says.

"When I heard I got this grant, I could hardly believe it. I know the competition for funding is very tough," says Dr. Foster. "Knowing that the best minds in the scientific cancer community think highly of this idea- that they believe in it- it's very encouraging. I'm so grateful."

The 76 grants announced today were selected after a rigorous national application and review process. These leading-edge cancer research projects bring the Society's total investment in cancer research to almost $49 million in 2008

"Canadians tell us research is one of the most important reasons they donate to the Society, so we are very pleased to add these new projects to the broad spectrum of world-class research we fund," says Dr. Barbara Whylie, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society. "Research is critical to our mission of eradicating cancer and enhancing the lives of people living with cancer, and these new projects represent tremendous hope for making cancer history."

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by the Canadian Cancer Society

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