SERS surgical navigation with postsurgical immunotherapy of local microtumors and distant metastases for improved
Yu Wen1,2, Ruoxuan Liu1, Yangcenzi Xie1
1School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China.
Abstract:
The standard of clinical care of most malignant solid cancers is surgery, followed by postsurgical adjuvant therapy, but microtumor lesions left behind after surgery and invisible distant metastases are the major reasons for treatment failure. Here, we report an integrated strategy combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) surgical navigation with postsurgical immunotherapy elicited by near-infrared II photothermal treatment and programmed death-1 antibody. The SERS surgical navigation is principally based on the multifunctional optical probes (namely, MATRA probes) integrating with T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, photothermal effect and Raman spectroscopic detection. We demonstrate in a 4T1 breast tumor mouse model that the pre-surgical MR/SERS dual-modal imaging is capable of providing comprehensive tumor information, and intraoperative SERS detection allows accurately delineating the tumor margins and guiding the surgical resection in real time with the least residual microscopic foci. We verify that the postsurgical immunotherapy effectively eradicates those local microtumor lesions and invisible distant metastases, greatly inhibiting the postsurgical cancer recurrence and distant metastasis.
Insights
This study introduces a new strategy combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for surgical navigation with immunotherapy to prevent cancer recurrence. This approach accurately identifies tumor margins and eliminates residual cancer cells, significantly inhibiting metastasis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Surgery followed by adjuvant therapy is standard for malignant solid cancers.
- Residual microtumor lesions and distant metastases after surgery lead to treatment failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an integrated strategy for improved cancer treatment.
- To combine surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) surgical navigation with postsurgical immunotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multifunctional optical probes (MATRA probes) for T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, photothermal effect, and Raman spectroscopic detection.
- Employed SERS surgical navigation for real-time tumor margin delineation during surgery.
- Administered postsurgical immunotherapy involving near-infrared II photothermal treatment and programmed death-1 antibody.
Main Results:
- Pre-surgical MR/SERS dual-modal imaging provided comprehensive tumor information in a 4T1 breast tumor mouse model.
- Intraoperative SERS detection accurately guided surgical resection, minimizing residual microscopic foci.
- Postsurgical immunotherapy effectively eradicated local microtumor lesions and distant metastases, inhibiting cancer recurrence and metastasis.
Conclusions:
- The integrated SERS navigation and immunotherapy strategy significantly improves postsurgical cancer treatment outcomes.
- This approach offers a promising method for reducing cancer recurrence and distant metastasis.
