Introduction: Complete resection of all visible disease (R0 resection) is critical for the treatment of ovarian cancer patients, and accurate real-time guidance provided by intraoperative near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence images is beneficial for achieving complete resection of all visible disease.
Methods: Based on the optical properties of IR780 and the characteristics of the acidic tumor microenvironment, we develop a new smart nanoparticle (eg, FA-IR780&PFOB-SNPs) by using the pH response nano framework (FA-PEG-PLGA-PEOz) and adjusting the amount of IR780. The FA-IR780&PFOB-SNPs was characterized for morphology, microstructure, particle size, pH-response, drug-loading efficiency and biological safety. The ultraclear fluorescence Navigation Endoscopy System was applied to evaluate the tumor recognition of FA-IR780&PFOB-SNPs in vivo.
Results: The structure of FA-IR780&PFOB-SNPs was stable in a neutral environment, and the near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence was turned off, while the structure of FA-IR780&PFOB-SNPs was degraded in the acidic tumour microenvironment, and the NIR fluorescence was turned on. Through the ovarian subcutaneous xenograft tumour and ovarian intraperitoneal xenograft tumour models, it was confirmed that FA-IR780&PFOB-SNPs could clearly display the boundaries of abdominal micron-sized tumours through near-infrared fluorescence imaging, with a TBR greater than 5.
Conclusion: The FA-IR780&PFOB-SNPs have the potential to provide to ovarian cancer intraoperative near infrared fluorescence navigation during precision tumour resection to achieve R0 and improve the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients.
Keywords: near-infrared fluorescence imaging, IR780 iodide, epithelial ovarian cancer, tumour-activatable nanoparticles