LED Implant: A new approach to deep-seated cancer treatment

Certain types of light have been effective in treating cancers on or near the skin when used with a light-activated drug. However, cancers located deep within tissues, blood, and bone have remained beyond the reach of these treatments. The new wireless LED device aims to extend the benefits of light therapy to these hard-to-reach areas.

“Certain colors of light penetrate tissue deeper than others,” said Thomas O’Sullivan, associate professor of electrical engineering and co-author of the paper. “It turns out that the kind of light — in this case green — that doesn’t penetrate as deeply has the capability of producing a more robust response against the cancer cells.”

For the light to be effective, a dye containing light-absorbing molecules must be administered to the cancer cells. When the device is activated, the dye converts the light into energy, making the cells' own oxygen toxic and thereby turning the cancer cells against themselves.

This device not only causes cell death but induces a specific type of cell death called pyroptosis, which is highly effective at triggering the immune response. “Working together, biochemistry graduate student Hailey Sanders and electrical engineering graduate student SungHoon Rho perceptively noted that the treated cells were swelling, which is the hallmark of pyroptosis,” said Bradley Smith, the Emil T. Hofman Professor of Science and co-author of the paper. “Our goal is to induce just a little bit of pyroptotic cell death, which will then trigger the immune system to start attacking the cancer.

In future studies, the device will be used in mice to determine whether the immune response initiated in one tumor can prompt the immune system to attack other cancerous tumors. The device, the size of a grain of rice, can be injected directly into a tumor and activated remotely by an external antenna. This allows for precise control of the treatment, including monitoring the tumor’s response and adjusting signal strength and timing as needed.

This research was one of four projects funded by the first Seed Transformative Interdisciplinary Research (STIR) grants. Initiated in 2023 by the Notre Dame College of Science and College of Engineering, these grants are designed to jump-start research projects in human health, the environment, and information technologies.

The development of the wireless LED device by the University of Notre Dame represents a promising advancement in the treatment of deep-seated cancers. By utilizing light and a light-sensitive dye, this device can effectively destroy cancer cells and activate the immune system, offering a new approach to cancer treatment.

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: University of Notre Dame