Researchers Develop Novel Phototherapy Technique to Treat Ocular Melanoma

研究人员开发了新的光疗技术来治疗眼部黑色素瘤

July 01, 2024

2024年7月1日

Scientists from the Optics and Photonics Research Center (CePOF) in Brazil, along with collaborators from the University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Cancer Center in Canada, have achieved a significant breakthrough in cancer treatment. Their study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, details the successful use of a novel phototherapy technique to eliminate ocular melanoma in mice..

巴西光学与光子学研究中心（CePOF）的科学家，以及多伦多大学和加拿大玛格丽特公主癌症中心的合作者，在癌症治疗方面取得了重大突破。他们的研究发表在《美国国家科学院院刊》上，详细介绍了一种新型光疗技术在消除小鼠眼部黑色素瘤方面的成功应用。。

Overcoming Challenges in Melanoma Treatment

克服黑色素瘤治疗的挑战

Photodynamic therapy, involving the application of light to activate drugs, has shown promise in treating various cancers but has been challenging for melanoma due to the pigment melanin absorbing much of the light. The team overcame this hurdle using a femtosecond pulsed laser, which emits ultrafast bursts of high-energy light precisely targeted to minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue..

涉及应用光激活药物的光动力疗法在治疗各种癌症方面显示出前景，但由于色素黑色素吸收了大部分光线，因此对黑色素瘤具有挑战性。该团队使用飞秒脉冲激光器克服了这一障碍，该激光器发射出超快的高能光，精确定位，以最大程度地减少对周围健康组织的损害。。

'This method allows us to deliver two photons with minimal energy and in an extremely short time, effectively targeting the biological molecules without causing significant collateral damage,' explained Professor Cristina Kurachi from IFSC-USP, leading the Brazilian team.

领导巴西团队的IFSC-USP教授克里斯蒂娜·库拉奇（CristinaKurachi）解释说：“这种方法使我们能够以最小的能量在极短的时间内传递两个光子，有效地靶向生物分子，而不会造成重大的附带损害。”。

Effective Treatment and Safety

有效治疗和安全

The technique, which utilized the drug Visudyne known for treating macular degeneration, resulted in complete tumor eradication without visible residual tumors in the mice models. According to Layla Pires, a researcher at Princess Margaret Cancer Center, the therapy was particularly effective against pigmented tumors, highlighting melanin's role as a mediator in the treatment's success..

该技术利用已知用于治疗黄斑变性的药物Visudyne，在小鼠模型中完全根除肿瘤而没有可见的残留肿瘤。据玛格丽特公主癌症中心的研究人员莱拉·皮雷斯（LaylaPires）说，这种疗法对色素沉着的肿瘤特别有效，突出了黑色素在治疗成功中的中介作用。。

Moreover, the procedure demonstrated safety and selectivity, preserving adjacent structures while potentially boosting the immune response against cancer cells. 'The findings mark a paradigm shift in biophotonics, challenging the notion that pigmented lesions are untreatable with light-based therapies,' Pires added..

此外，该程序证明了安全性和选择性，保留了相邻结构，同时可能增强对癌细胞的免疫反应。”皮雷斯补充道：“这些发现标志着生物光子学的范式转变，挑战了色素沉着病变无法用光疗法治疗的观点。”。。

Despite these promising results, the researchers caution that further studies, including trials with humanized mice and subsequent human trials, are necessary before clinical application. Development of specialized instruments, such as an adapted ophthalmoscope for treating ocular tumors, is also underway to facilitate future clinical use..

尽管取得了这些有希望的结果，但研究人员警告说，在临床应用之前，有必要进行进一步的研究，包括用人源化小鼠进行的试验和随后的人体试验。还正在开发专门的仪器，例如用于治疗眼部肿瘤的自适应检眼镜，以促进未来的临床应用。。

'This discovery opens doors for more effective and less invasive treatments for ocular melanoma, addressing current limitations of existing therapies,' noted Professor Brian Wilson from the University of Toronto. The interdisciplinary research team anticipates broader applications of their technique in treating other types of tumors, such as retinoblastoma in children..

多伦多大学（University of Toronto）的布莱恩·威尔逊（BrianWilson）教授指出：“这一发现为眼部黑色素瘤的更有效、更微创的治疗打开了大门，解决了现有疗法的局限性。”。跨学科研究团队预计他们的技术将在治疗其他类型的肿瘤方面得到更广泛的应用，例如儿童视网膜母细胞瘤。。

About Ocular Melanoma

关于眼部黑色素瘤

Ocular melanoma, also known as uveal melanoma, is a rare form of cancer that develops in the eye's uveal tract—the layer that includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. It arises from the abnormal growth of melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin, which gives the eyes their color.

眼部黑色素瘤，也称为葡萄膜黑色素瘤，是一种罕见的癌症，在眼睛的葡萄膜道（包括虹膜，睫状体和脉络膜的层）中发展。它是由黑素细胞的异常生长引起的，黑素细胞负责产生黑色素，从而赋予眼睛颜色。

Ocular melanoma differs from skin melanoma in its occurrence and treatment challenges, often diagnosed in adults aged 50 to 70 years old. Symptoms may include blurred vision, flashes of light, and changes in the appearance of the eye. .

眼部黑色素瘤的发生和治疗挑战不同于皮肤黑色素瘤，通常在50至70岁的成年人中被诊断出。症状可能包括视力模糊、闪光和眼睛外观改变。

Reference

参考

Layla Pires et al, Femtosecond pulsed laser photodynamic therapy activates melanin and eradicates malignant melanoma, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316303121

Layla-Pires等人，《飞秒脉冲激光光动力疗法激活黑色素并根除恶性黑色素瘤》，美国国家科学院院刊（2024年）。DOI:10.1073/pnas.231630321