Abdorreza Asrar
1 
, Zahra Sobhani
2 , Mohammad Ali Behnam
3* 1 Faculty of Naval Aviation, Malek Ashtar University of Technology, Iran.
2 Quality Control Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
3 Nano Opto-Electronic Research Center, Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, Shiraz University of Technology, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract
Purpose: Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a procedure that converts laser beam energy to heat socan disturb tumor cells. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have unique properties in absorption opticalenergy and could change optical power into heat in PTT procedures. Additionally, titaniumdioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) have a unique feature in absorbing and scattering light.Therefore, these mentioned NPs could play a synergistic role in the PTT method.Methods: CNTs and TiO2 NPs were injected into the melanoma tumor sites of cancerousmice. Then sites were excited using the laser beam (λ = 808 nm, P = 2 W, and I = 4 W/cm2).Injected NPs caused hyperthermia in solid tumors. Tumor size assay, statistical analysis, andhistopathological study of the treated cases were performed to assess the role of mentioned NPsin PTT of murine melanoma cancer.Results: The results showed that CNTs performed better than TiO2 NPs in destroying murinemelanoma cancer cells in animals.Conclusion: The present study compared the photothermal activity of excited CNTs and TiO2NPs in cancer therapy at the near-infrared spectrum of light. Tumors were destroyed selectivelybecause of their weakened heat resistance versus normal tissue. PTT of malignant melanomathrough CNTs caused remarkable necrosis into the tumor tissues versus TiO2 NPs.