Towards a Less Invasive Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer: Initial Evaluation of Gold Nanoparticle-Mediated...

Background/Objectives: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, with a high mortality, particularly from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Although some therapeutic strategies are available, they might cause severe side effects. For example, surgery may result in disfigurement and functional loss, severely impacting the patient's quality of life. Thus, minimally invasive and more effective alternatives are needed. Gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising approach for HNC, which relies on AuNP photothermal efficiency and tumor localization. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize AuNPs, evaluate their safety without laser activation, and assess their efficacy with laser activation. Methods and Results: Their physicochemical and photostability over three months and sterility were confirmed. In vitro safety was tested using human non-cancerous and HNC cell lines, while in vivo biocompatibility was evaluated in the hen's egg chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model, with no adverse effects observed. Upon laser activation, AuNPs reduced HNC cell viability by 50-70%, including HNSCC lines. In vivo biodistribution studies showed that AuNPs remained at the injection site for up to one month without toxicity. Conclusions: Overall, the developed AuNP formulation demonstrates stability, biocompatibility, and prolonged local retention, key attributes for effective and targeted PTT. These findings support the potential of AuNP-mediated photothermal therapy as a promising treatment modality for HNC, although further preclinical and clinical studies are needed to optimize treatment parameters.