Physical and cellular basis of oncologic magnetic thermotherapy

GHILINI, FIORELA; TASSO, MARIANA; VAN RAAP, MARCELA B. FERNÁNDEZ

Magnetic Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

Materials Research Forum

Año: 2023; p. 1 - 37

Magnetic thermotherapy (MT) for treating solid tumors employs magnetic hyperthermia(MH) protocols. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles -nowadays considered nanomedicines- are delivered to the tumor to induce temperature elevations upon the application of an external alternating magnetic field in the radiofrequency range. This treatment activates cell death pathways and sensitizes cells to other cancer therapies. Much information is available on magnetic materials preparation and functionalization, physical relaxation mechanisms behind magnetic heating, and designed devices for field generation and magnetic material tracking, but further insight is still needed about the nature and characteristics of the cellular response to MH. In this chapter, the physical foundations of MT are thoroughly discussed and complemented by a general overview of the cellular responses induced to counteract the various sources of stress associated with this technology.