Author(s): Ferreira-Gonçalves, Tânia ; Costa, Eduardo ; Coelho, João ; Gaspar, Maria Manuela ; Ascensão, Lia ; Ferreira-Santos, Pedro ; Faísca, Pedro ; Figueiredo, Isabel ; Ferreira, David ; Ferreira, Hugo ; Catarina, Reis
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10174/38824
Origin: Repositório Científico da Universidade de Évora
Subject(s): Gold nanoparticles; breast cancer; photothermal therapy
AuNPs show suitable mean sizes and maximum absorbance peaks to be used for PTT when locally administered. AuNPs show no toxicity either in breast cancer cell lines or red blood cells. Laser irradiation proved to be safe when applied alone. Combining EGF-conjugated AuNPs with laser irradiation resulted in a reduction of 33% in MCF-7 cells viability. The animal model was successfully developed (all animals developed tumors) and proved to be a specific model for breast cancer, once no other alterations were observed in other organs. In situ administration of EGF-conjugated AuNPs combined with laser irradiation resulted in tumor necrosis with minimal or absent effects over surrounding healthy cells. This system revealed great potential to expand breast cancer treatment options. Nevertheless, further research is required to assess if this strategy can be applied as an adjuvant technique to surgical intervention, improving, at least, esthetic outcomes, or applied alone when other therapies are not viable, safe, or acceptable.
