Anticancer Therapy Using FePt Nanoparticles Combined with Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields

Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) are an emerging local tumor treatment based on physical fields, that can destroy tumor core cells using ultrashort, high-intensity electric pulses. Despite their promise, technical and safety constraints can result in incomplete ablation at tumor margins during clinical procedures, allowing residual cancer cells to persist and metastasize. This study introduces an innovative strategy that combines nsPEFs with FePt nanoparticles (NPs) based on modern physics. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments reveal that this integrated approach enhances imaging precision and delivers synergistic antitumor effects. In orthotopic pancreatic cancer models, nsPEFs effectively eradicate the tumor core, overcoming the limitation of NPs alone that are unable to completely eradicate tumor cells. Although some peripheral cancer cells may survive and migrate post-electric field treatment, systemically administered NPs rapidly target tumor sites, selectively targeting and destroying these escaped cells. This strategy addresses the challenges of metastasis and recurrence associated with nsPEF monotherapy. Findings show that the combined treatment significantly suppresses tumor progression and improves both survival status and rates in mice. By uniting the complementary strengths of nsPEFs and NPs, this study offers substantial theoretical insight and practical value for developing advanced combination cancer therapies with strong clinical translation potential.