Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney, Harvard, and Henan universities have developed a “double-punch” nanozyme platform designed to address two major challenges in treating glioblastoma: the difficulty of completely removing cancer cells that have infiltrated surrounding brain tissue and the blood-brain barrier’s limitation on drug and radiotherapy delivery. The system utilizes smart nanoparticles that serve a dual function: aiding surgical visualization and providing postoperative targeted therapy. During surgery, a fluorescent dye on the nanoparticle allows surgeons to detect tumor cell clusters as small as 44 micrometers, while a targeting molecule helps the nanoparticles cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in glioma cells. After tumor removal, the same nanoparticles are reactivated with near-infrared light to perform phototherapy, generating oxygen, heat, and reactive molecules to destroy residual microscopic cancer cells.

In mouse models of glioblastoma, this nanoparticle approach demonstrated a reduction in tumor recurrence following surgery, with all treated mice surviving beyond 60 days compared to a median survival of 42 days in mice receiving surgery alone. No neurological or motor impairments were observed in the treated mice. However, the researchers emphasize that these promising results are based on preclinical studies in animal models, and further research is needed to confirm the imaging and therapeutic efficacy in human patients and at the scale of the human brain. If successful, this technology could potentially enhance surgical precision and postoperative treatment, addressing the significant challenge of tumor recurrence in glioblastoma patients. [Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260826060617.htm]

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