New study will examine the efficacy of light and ultrasound to treat melanoma

Photo: Simone van den Berg/Adobe Stock

Researchers at Texas A&M University are investigating the use of ultrasound and light to treat melanomas in swine. The new study will evaluate different combinations of drugs, methods of delivery, and types of light to determine which combinations yield the best results.

Creating a more efficient method for treating melanoma through photodynamic therapy—an existing treatment that uses light to shrink and destroy cancer cells—could pave the way for affordable, non-invasive treatment options for pigs, humans, and other mammals, according to a Texas A&M news release.¹

“In photodynamic therapy, we introduce a chemical that is absorbed by skin cancer cells. The chemical only reacts when exposed to a certain kind of light, which causes new molecules to form that destroy the cancer cells,” Vanderlei Bagnato, PhD, professor of biomedical engineering at Texas A&M, said in a university release.¹

The team will also explore ultrasound. This technique, referred to as sonodynamic therapy, operates similarly to photodynamic therapy, but utilizes sound instead of light.

“When we insert certain drugs into the cancer cells, they become little reactors that create tiny explosions when hit by ultrasound waves,” said Bagnato in the release.¹ “We hope to combine both photodynamic and sonodynamic therapy to eliminate melanomas more completely, without the risk of regrowth and metastasis."

The new study will involve gathering skin cell samples from a group of pigs that previously belonged to Duane Kraemer, PhD, DVM, retired senior professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS).

“The pigs in this study are a kind that have a tendency to develop melanomas, but aren’t really affected by them,” Jennifer Fridley, DVM, clinical assistant professor in the VMBS Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and director of Veterinary Medical Park, said in the release.¹ “In fact, sometimes their melanomas regress on their own, which is one reason why they are important to study.

Photodynamic therapy

Due to its affordability and effectiveness, photodynamic therapy has recently emerged as the leading treatment option for non-melanoma skin cancers. However, this treatment has not been very effective for cancers like melanomas.

“We are able to use photodynamic therapy to eliminate about 95% of lesions for non-melanoma skin cancers. It is very cost-effective and non-invasive,” Bagnato said in the release.¹ “But treating melanomas with light-based therapy is problematic for several reasons. First, the pigment in the cancer cells sometimes interferes with the light. Secondly, melanomas are more prone than other skin cancers to regrow and metastasize…if they are not removed completely.”

Still, Bagnato explained that there are several ways to introduce the therapy drug to treat melanoma, with one being using microneedles.¹ “[The microneedles] are actually made of the drug itself, so when they dissolve into the skin, there is nothing left behind. The entire process can be done in under an hour and doesn’t require any surgery,” said Bagato.¹

According to Texas A&M, photodynamic therapy could be beneficial to patients with both skin cancer and diabetes.¹ “Diabetes is very common in the United States, and it is more common as people get older. People with this condition need to avoid surgery whenever possible because diabetes causes poor vascularization… If you have diabetes and skin cancer, photodynamic therapy offers a much safer treatment than surgery with fewer chances of complications,” explained Bagnato in the release.¹

Speaking on his vision for the study, Bagnato shared, “It is my hope that this research can become the foundation for further specialized cancer research for pets and other animals at the VMBS.”¹

Reference

1. Price C. Texas A&M researchers explore light and ultrasound therapy for melanoma treatment. News release. Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. October 18, 2024. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://today.tamu.edu/2024/10/18/light-and-ultrasound-therapy-for-melanoma/