Eco-Friendly Approaches in Oncology: Developing Holmium (¹⁶⁶Ho) Glass Microspheres for Hepatocellular Radioembolization

Using recycled materials is increasingly recognized as a crucial strategy in today's global context. The production of glass on a global scale, estimated at approximately 209 million tons annually, underscores the urgent necessity to identify alternative applications for this material. In this milieu, the adoption of recycled glass for applications conducive to health emerges as a significant opportunity, offering dual advantages: mitigating the global surplus of glass and enhancing public health outcomes. In the realm of diseases, oncology, and hepatocellular carcinoma stand out due to their extensive costs and detrimental impact on health. Consequently, this research has been directed toward developing, comprehensively characterization, and in vivo assessment of Ho (Ho-166) holmium-166 doped glass microspheres derived from recycled glass. The findings confirmed the successful formation of these microspheres, marked by a high degree of holmium doping. Moreover, the studies revealed a significant accumulation of the microspheres in the liver, alongside a lack of toxicological effects. Collectively, these results strongly support the potential of recycled glass as a valuable resource for fabricating holmium-doped glass microspheres, offering a promising avenue for liver cancer treatment.