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The influence of microplastic particles on the effectiveness of electrochemotherapy in breast cancer cells

Wroclaw Medical University 2025
Katarzyna Zuzanna Bieżuńska-Kusiak

Summary

Researchers examined whether microplastic particle exposure affects the effectiveness of electrochemotherapy in breast cancer cells, investigating whether MPs could alter cellular responses to the combined electroporation and chemotherapy treatment through inflammatory or oxidative stress mechanisms.

Body Systems

Microplastic particles (MPs) (ranging in diameter from 0.1 μm to 5 mm) pose a significant threat to the natural environment. They are created by human activity during the production of certain products and the degradation of plastics. Breast cancer is the most common form of malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. MPs can also induce inflammation and oxidative stress in tissues, which may be associated with an increased risk of developing cancers, including breast cancer. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a procedure that combines the administration of chemotherapy drugs (doxorubicin, daunorubicin) with precisely calibrated electrical pulses for cell membrane electroporation (EP). This method is currently used clinically in over 140 centers in Europe and demonstrates very high efficacy and minimal invasiveness. It has been incorporated into the standard treatment of many different types of cancer, including breast cancer. An interesting question is to investigate the impact of MPs on the effectiveness of electrochemotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer cells?

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