“Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Could Prevent Breast Cancer Development, Study Finds”

Experts from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, also known as Fiocruz, in Brazil, have worked with iron oxide nanoparticles, where they have managed to demonstrate that it is possible to prevent the development of tumors that lead to breast cancer.

By performing this procedure, the originality of macrophages is being altered, which are a type of white blood cells that have the function of ending microorganisms.

In the medical journal International Journal of Pharmaceutics, the study was published on Monday, April 24, 2023, where it indicates that the procedure allowed to reduce cancer cells by approximately 50 percent.

The FioCruz scientists highlighted that 50 percent of the tumor mass is built by macrophages, which allow us to know the evolution of these malignant cells.

Read more: Out loud, what it is like for a woman to live under the shadow of cancer

Within macrophages there are two categories, which are called M1 and M2. The M1 are characterized by being cells that allow a swelling produced by the rejection of an organism to an external aggression to be generated, in addition to limiting the cancer from advancing more quickly.

For their part, M2 reduce the signs of inflammation, but are more accessible to tumor permission.

It is here that experts find an opportunity for cell reprogramming. His intention is to convert M2 to M1 to make these human building blocks help suppress tumor growth.

To carry out the study, iron oxide nanoparticles were used, which are biocompatible, cheap and can be synthesized quickly, in addition to being easy to produce in large numbers.

tests that were carried out

The first test was given in a special artificial system, where the malignant cells kept close to the macrophages, which caused the contaminated cancer cells to increase, however, when the iron oxide nanoparticles were placed, they died.

A second case was developed using mice, to which cancer cells were applied and at the same time nanoparticles that remained in their bodies for 21 days to observe their evolution. The results were favorable, since at the end of the indicated period, almost 50 percent of the affected cells had been eliminated thanks to the nanoparticles.

A last episode was carried out with a three-dimensional multicellular model, which represented a micro-tumoral environment where the oxide particles also occurred, giving the same positive result as the previously exposed cases.

These investigations, with favorable results, represent a broad vision for early investigations that allow the development of alternatives to treat breast cancer.

Associations such as AMEXME Villahermosa, provide therapy to women who have suffered breast cancer

Lizeth Carolina Rosique, president of the Rosa lane of the Mexican Association of Business Women AMEXME, points out that the objective of the program is to support women who have suffered lymphedema from breast cancer.

In an interview, Carolina Rosique expressed. “The main objective is to provide aquatic therapies to help and reduce inflammation due to all the problems they have had, which is breast cancer.”

He explained that he is currently working with a group of 10 people who are in initiation, “we come to deliver the swimsuits that are special for swimming in the pool that is being provided in coordination with the municipality of Centro.”

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He said that this program is free for women who cannot continue with their therapies. She recalled that the program is already one year old and is carried out in agreement with the City Hall of the Center.

To access this program, you must present personal documentation, a medical prescription stating that you need to be part of the therapies.

For her part, Madel Flores Bautista from AMEXME Villahermosa, commented that group one began a year ago, and today group two has begun, which is very satisfactory.

He mentioned that the association is made up of 25 businesswomen from the entity, so the objective is to reach 40 businesswomen in the short term.

With information from Marco López | The Herald of Tabasco