Scientists from Brazil and Portugal have created a magnetic nanocomposite that targets bone cancer cells while promoting bone regeneration. The material uses heat from a magnetic field to destroy tumors and a bioactive coating to aid healing. This innovation could enable less invasive therapies for bone tumors.
Researchers from Brazil and Portugal have engineered a magnetic core-shell nanocomposite to combat bone cancer and support tissue repair. Published in Magnetic Medicine in 2025, the material consists of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with bioactive glass. This structure allows it to generate heat under an alternating magnetic field, enabling magnetic hyperthermia to ablate tumor cells selectively without widespread damage to healthy tissue.
The bioactive glass layer enhances the material's integration with bone. In tests using simulated body fluid, the nanocomposites rapidly formed apatite, a mineral akin to that in natural bone, indicating strong potential for bonding and regeneration. Among various formulations, the one with elevated calcium content excelled, showing the quickest mineralization and most robust magnetic properties.
"Magnetic bioactive nanocomposites are very promising for bone cancer therapy because they can simultaneously ablate tumors through magnetic hyperthermia and support new bone growth," stated Dr. Ângela Andrade, the lead author. She highlighted the challenge overcome: achieving both high magnetization and bioactivity in a single material.
Further, Andrade noted, "Among the tested formulations, the one with a higher calcium content demonstrated the fastest mineralization rate and the strongest magnetic response, making it an ideal candidate for biomedical applications."
This dual-function approach addresses both tumor elimination and structural recovery in one procedure. "This study provides new insights into how surface chemistry and structure influence the performance of magnetic biomaterials," Andrade added, suggesting pathways for safer, more effective clinical tools in oncology and regenerative medicine.
The work, detailed by authors including Andreia Batista and José Domingos Fabris, appears in Magnetic Medicine (2025; 1(3):100039). It represents a step toward multifunctional nanomaterials for minimally invasive bone cancer treatments.
