They manage to inhibit the migration of cancer cells with ultrasound

The growth of solid tumors is accompanied by processes of proliferation and migration of cancer cells. Controlling these processes is, therefore, a very interesting area of ​​research for cancer treatment. In this context, a team of researchers of which he has formed a personal part of the Center for Information Processing and Telecommunications of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) in Spain, has studied the effect of non-ionizing radiation with ultrasound in the process of Collective migration of pancreatic tumor cells.

This study has had the collaboration of researchers Virginia Yagüe-Jiménez and José Luis Blanco-Murillo, from the Center for Information Processing and Telecommunications and has been led by the Leonardo Torres Quevedo Institute of Physical and Information Technologies (ITEFI). , of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC).

This is the first proof-of-concept study demonstrating the physical effects of ultrasound stimulation on pancreatic tumor cell migration.

Specifically, these scientists have carried out in vitro research on monolayer pancreatic cancer cell samples. On them they have applied a dose of 15 or 20 minutes of low-intensity ultrasound in certain acoustic conditions and have shown that this inhibits the ability of cell movement for long periods of time, paralyzing the collective and individual progress of cells for two or, even up to three days after treatment. In parallel, he has also observed inhibition in cell proliferation processes, something that is currently under investigation.

PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells during a cell migration process. Photo obtained at ITEFI of the CSIC and processed by V. Yagüe-Jiménez and JL Blanco-Murillo from the ETSIT of the UPM. (Image: CSIC / UPM)

In the opinion of Icíar González, coordinating researcher of the study: “The results of this work open the door to the development of future non-invasive strategies to paralyze the growth of solid tumors, since non-ionizing radiation with ultrasound would be a non-invasive, low-frequency treatment.” cost and easy application.

Currently, the ITEFI RESULT group is developing a specific ultrasonic device adjustable to mice to begin in vivo experiments soon in collaboration with researchers from the University of the Basque Country and the Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research in Spain.

The study is titled “Low-intensity continuous ultrasound to inhibit cancer cell migration”. And it has been published in the academic journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. (Source: UPM)