Researchers at MIT are developing an adhesive patch that can stick to a tumor site, either before or after surgery. The patch features specially designed nanospheres and nanorods, shown here attacking a tumor cell. (Ella Maru)

MIT researchers developed an adhesive patch that can stick to a colorectal cancer tumor site, either before or after surgery, to deliver a triple-combination of drug, gene, and light-based therapy. Releasing this triple combination therapy at the tumor site may increase the efficacy of the treatment.

The patch contains gold nanorods that heat up when near-infrared radiation is applied to the local area. This is used to thermally ablate, or destroy, the tumor. The nanorods are also equipped with a chemotherapy drug that is released when they are heated to target the tumor and its surrounding cells. Finally, gold nanospheres that do not heat up in response to the near-infrared radiation are used to deliver RNA, or gene therapy, to the site to silence an important oncogene in colorectal cancer.

A clinician could remove the tumor, and then apply the patch to the inner surface of the colon to ensure that no cells that are likely to cause cancer recurrence remain at the site. As the patch degrades, it will gradually release the various therapies.

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