Project 3.4.4 Tiny Treatment

Introduction

When it comes to treating cancer, modern medicine is still relatively primitive. Doctors rely on debilitating treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy regimens work by essentially poisoning the patient in order to destroy tumor cells; whereas, radiation therapy utilizes high energy radiation to destroy tumor cells. Both types of therapies have negative side effects for the patient undergoing treatment. Nanotechnology offers promise in the fight against cancer and is likely to revolutionize cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. One area cancer researchers are focusing on is creating nanoparticles capable of targeting and destroying tumors while minimizing collateral damage to healthy tissue. Other areas being looked at include developing nanoparticles for tumor imaging, molecular profiling of cancer biomarkers, and targeted drug delivery.

In this activity, you will investigate the variety of nanotechnologies currently being developed for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. You will then use the ideas that are currently in development to design your own nanotechnology-based cancer treatment and create a clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of the treatment.

Equipment

  • Computer with Internet access and presentation software
  • Activity 3.1.1: Student Resource Sheet
  • Laboratory journal

Procedure

  1. Work as a class to brainstorm ideas on how nanotechnology can be used to diagnose and treat cancer. Record ideas in your laboratory journal.
  2. Watch the following short video clip to introduce you to the use of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Pay close attention to the variety of technologies presented.
  • National Cancer Institute Office of Technology & Industrial Relations – Video Journey Into Nanotechnology
  1. Take notes in your laboratory journal as your teacher presents the “Understanding Nanodevices” presentation from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of health, available from .
  2. Answer Conclusion questions 1 and 2.
  3. Take out your Activity 3.1.1: Student Resource Sheet.
  4. Note that your teacher will assign you and a partner to one of the patients you were introduced to in the Student Resource Sheet from Activity 3.1.1.
  5. Read through the patient case you are assigned to.
  6. Work with your partner to design a nanotechnology-based treatment that could be used for this particular patient. Take the type of cancer as well as information about the patient into consideration as you plan your treatment. Decide how the treatment will be delivered, how it will target cancerous cells, how it will be released into the cell, what it will do once inside the cell, and how it will destroy the cell.Use your notes in your laboratory journal to get ideas. Document your design in your laboratory journal.

You and your partner are the lead researchers in charge of developing the nanotechnology-based treatment designed in the previous step. You have had positive results with both in vitro testing (involving cell culture) and in vivo testing (involving laboratory animals).

  1. Developa clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of yournanotechnology-based treatment. Refer to the notes in your laboratory journal from Activity 3.4.3 Clinical Trials to review the set up of a clinical trial. With your group, you will present your clinical trial proposal to the class, who will act as the Institutional Review Board.
  2. Include the following information in your presentation:
  • Background Information:
  • Name of clinical trial
  • Description of population being studied
  • Summary of the known and potential risks and benefits, if any, to human subjects
  • Description of the route of administration (delivery method)
  • Description of the cells the treatment will target
  • Description of how the treatment will target these cells
  • Description of how the treatment will be released into the targeted cells
  • Description of what the treatment will do once inside the targeted cells
  • Description of how the treatment will destroy the targeted cells
  • Trial Objectives and Purpose:
  • Description of the goals of the trial
  • Description of the hypothesis of the results of the trial
  • Description of how this treatment will be better than the treatments that are currently being used for this type of cancer
  • Trial Design:
  • Description of the type/design of trial to be conducted (e.g., double-blind, placebo-controlled) and a schematic diagram of the trial design
  • Selection of Subjects:
  • Specification of the criteria for the inclusion and exclusion of potential subjects(i.e. who is eligible to participate in the study and who is not)
  • Assessment of Safety:
  • Description of safety procedures
  1. Design a presentation that lasts no longer than 10 minutes. Use presentation software to create the framework for your presentation. Think about all that goes into completing a clinical trial. Be thorough and creative. Cover all of the bases so your trial is approved by the IRB board.
  2. Present your clinical trial proposal to the class.
  3. As each group presents its clinical trial proposal, play the role of the IRB board reviewers. Answer the following questions for each proposal:
  • Are appropriate measures in place to minimize risk to participants?
  • Does the benefit to society outweigh the potential risks to the participants?
  • Do the scientific methods used in this study lead to valid data and help to answer the research question?
  • Are appropriate measures in place to minimize bias and obtain valid data?
  1. Discuss and decide as a class whether or not the proposal should be approved. Discuss any modifications that should be made to improve the proposal.
  2. Complete the remaining Conclusion question.

Conclusion

  1. How do you think these technologies will change cancer detection and treatment?
  1. If you were diagnosed with cancer, would you be willing to participate in a clinical trial testing the safety and effectiveness of one of these technologies? Explain your answer.
  1. Propose a nanotechnology application for patients with Type 1 Diabetes or another disease you have studied in PBS, HBS, or MI.

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Medical Interventions Activity 3.4.4 Tiny Treatment– Page 1