Project Details
Description
One-third to one-half of women diagnosed with locally advanced cervical cancer in the United States will die within 5 years of their diagnosis. A primary treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer is ionizing radiation delivered either via external beam radiation or internal placement of a radioactive source known as brachytherapy. The development of targeted treatment regimens for cervical cancer that can improve radiotherapeutic efficacy while reducing off-target toxicity remains a critically unexplored area of research. One such possible target is epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a protein receptor that is expressed on the cell surface of up to 90% of cervical cancers. Our laboratory has previously synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) that specifically target and radiosensitize cells that express EGFR. In this series of experiments, we will test the hypothesis that EGFR-targeted nanoparticles 1) preferentially accumulate in cervical cancer cells with high levels of EGFR expression, and 2) radiosensitize EGFR positive cervical cancer cells to ionizing radiation. These experiments may profoundly impact clinical management if validated in vivo and extended to the clinical setting. The nanotechnology being developed may help usher in a new era of tumor-specific radiosensitization, with the ultimate goal of improving survival as well as quality-of-life for women with cervical cancer.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 1/1/18 → 4/30/20 |
Funding
- Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Agmt 13 Exhibit B12 A01)
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