Radiotherapy enhancement with gold nanoparticles

Background: Radiation therapy (RT) is a major part of the treatment of cancer and other tumor diseases by using penetrability radiation, such as X-ray, γ-ray. RT works by directly damaging the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of tumor cells or indirectly creating charged particles (free radicals) within the cells, which can in turn damage DNA. As RT focused at the tumor tissue and provided a much larger absorbed dose than that in the surrounding healthy tissue, its side effect is much lighter than chemotherapy. Purpose: To destroy the whole of disease cells with minimal damage to the surrounding normal cells, which is the ultimate goal of RT, target-RT modalities have been developed. Methods: Owing to its excellent optical properties, Gold nanoparticle has drawn much attention. It has been proved that Gold nanoparticle is a good radiosensitizer of transferring keV energy radiation to micrometer-range photo-/Auger electrons. Recent development of nanotechnology has provided great opportunities for developing new RT modalities to enhance RT therapeutic efficacy by using gold nanoparticles. Results: A lot of multi-function nanoparticle systems have been designed to enhance RT therapeutic efficiency. Conclusion: Gold nanoparticles assisted target-RT has achieved greater therapeutic efficiency with less side effects and longer live time.