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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
Inducing Targeted Mild Hyperthermia in Murine Tumor Models through Photothermal Conversion of Near-infrared Light by Intratumoral Gold Nanorods
Published on: October 10, 2025
Heat shock protein expression and injury optimization for laser therapy design
Marissa Nichole Rylander1, Yusheng Feng, Jon Bass
1Department of Mechanical Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center Building XV MC 0493, 1880 Pratt Drive, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA. mnr@vt.edu
This study introduces a treatment planning model that optimizes hyperthermia therapy by controlling heat shock protein (HSP) expression. This approach enhances tumor destruction and minimizes healthy tissue damage for improved cancer treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Therapeutic Technology
Background:
- Hyperthermia induces heat shock proteins (HSPs), increasing tumor cell survival and resistance to cancer treatments.
- Current thermal therapy design lacks control over HSP expression, limiting treatment efficacy.
- Optimizing HSP expression and injury distribution is crucial for effective thermal therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and integrate an optimization algorithm for prostate cancer laser therapy planning.
- To predict and optimize temperature, HSP expression, and injury distributions in the prostate.
- To enable the design of more effective thermal therapies maximizing tumor destruction and minimizing healthy tissue injury.
Main Methods:
- Integrated an optimization algorithm into a prostate cancer laser therapy planning model.
- Utilized dosimetry guidelines based on measured HSP expression kinetics and injury data.
- Developed a model to predict and optimize spatial and temporal temperature, HSP expression, and injury distributions.
Main Results:
- The optimization model identifies laser parameters for prescribed HSP expression and injury distributions.
- Achieving desired injury and HSP expression distributions leads to more effective tumor destruction.
- This method offers improved outcomes compared to temperature-driven optimization strategies.
Conclusions:
- Treatment planning optimization models can enhance tumor destruction by managing HSP expression.
- This approach mitigates tumor recurrence and resistance to chemotherapy and radiation.
- Optimized thermal therapies can lead to more effective cancer treatment with reduced healthy tissue damage.
