Implantable photonic device could improve delivery of bladder cancer therapy
Engineers and cancer researchers at the University of Glasgow have developed an implantable photonic device designed to improve the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy for bladder cancer.
The technology, described in Opto-Electronic Advances, combines flexible bioelectronics, wireless power transfer and micro-LEDs to deliver light directly to tumour sites, potentially overcoming limitations associated with current photodynamic therapy approaches.
Photodynamic therapy uses light-sensitive drugs known as photosensitisers to selectively destroy cancer cells. While the technique is widely used in the treatment of some cancers, its effectiveness can be limited when tumours are located deeper within the body because biological tissues absorb and scatter light.
As a result, existing treatments can require invasive procedures and bulky external light sources to deliver sufficient illumination to the target area.
The Glasgow team has developed a flexible, wirelessly powered platform designed to be implanted close to tumours, enabling more direct delivery of light while reducing reliance on external systems.
Dr Rolan Mansour, corresponding author of the study from the University's James Watt School of Engineering, said the work aims to improve the clinical potential of photodynamic therapy.
“Given that photodynamic therapy has the potential for less side effects and could improve cancer treatment outcomes, our work is focused on improving its effectiveness by delivering light where it’s most needed, to the photosensitisers which tackle and kill cancer cells,” he said.
The researchers designed and fabricated the disc-shaped device using laser-based manufacturing techniques at the University's James Watt Nanofabrication Centre. Measuring 40mm in diameter, the system incorporates four micro-LEDs mounted on a flexible substrate made from Parylene C, a biocompatible polymer commonly used in medical devices.
Power is supplied wirelessly through resonant inductive coupling, removing the need for wired connections or external power sources.
In laboratory tests, the team evaluated the device using tissue-mimicking materials designed to replicate the optical properties of human tissue. The results showed that light could be transmitted through synthetic tissue samples up to 50mm thick with minimal loss.
The researchers also assessed the system using a photosensitiser solution to investigate its ability to generate singlet oxygen, the highly reactive molecule responsible for destroying cancer cells during photodynamic therapy.
According to the team, the device reliably produced singlet oxygen on demand, demonstrating its potential as a platform for future implantable photodynamic therapy applications.
Professor David Flynn, who leads the EPSRC-funded PATIENT project responsible for the work, said the results demonstrate how multiple technologies can be combined to create new treatment approaches.
“These are very encouraging results, which demonstrate how flexible bioelectronics, wireless power delivery and photonics can be combined to create advanced, minimally-invasive treatments, which could improve the clinical outcomes of photodynamic therapies,” he said.
Flynn added that the fabrication methods used to produce the device could support scalable and cost-effective manufacturing in the future.
While the researchers emphasise that significant further development and testing will be required before clinical use, they believe the work represents an important step towards next-generation implantable photonic devices and wireless cancer therapies.
The study, titled A Flexible Wireless System for Prospective Photodynamic Therapy Applications, was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Researchers from Edinburgh Instruments Ltd also contributed to the project.
Pic: University of Glasgow
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