New Double-Punch Strategy Shows Promise Against Aggressive Brain Cancer: Study - Video

What if the same tiny particle could act like a surgeon's flashlight first-and a cancer killer next?

Scientists have developed an innovative nanoparticle platform that could help surgeons remove glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer, while also destroying microscopic cancer cells left behind after surgery. The research, published in Science Translational Medicine, was led by teams from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Harvard University, and Henan University.

Glioblastoma is notoriously difficult to treat because its cells spread deep into healthy brain tissue, making complete surgical removal almost impossible. The blood-brain barrier also blocks many drugs from reaching the tumour, contributing to a five-year survival rate of just around 7%.

The newly developed "double-punch" nanozyme tackles both challenges using a single smart material. Built from an ultrathin two-dimensional sheet embedded with individual platinum atoms, the platform performs two different tasks using the same near-infrared light.

During surgery, the nanoparticles act as an imaging guide. A specially designed fluorescent dye glows under near-infrared light, allowing surgeons to identify tumour cell clusters as small as 44 micrometres—far beyond the resolution of current clinical imaging. A targeting molecule also helps the material cross the blood-brain barrier and selectively accumulate inside glioblastoma cells.

After surgeons remove the visible tumour, the same material is applied to the surgical cavity and reactivated with near-infrared light. The platinum atoms convert the tumour's hydrogen peroxide into oxygen, helping overcome the low-oxygen environment that protects cancer cells. At the same time, the light generates heat and reactive molecules that destroy remaining microscopic cancer cells.

In mouse models, the approach completely prevented tumour recurrence during the study period, with 100% of treated mice surviving for 60 days, compared with 42 days for animals treated with surgery alone. Researchers reported no detectable neurological or movement problems.

The scientists caution that these findings are still limited to animal studies. Larger studies and human clinical trials will be needed to confirm whether this promising technology can safely improve glioblastoma surgery and reduce recurrence in patients.

REFERENCE: Ping Shangguan et al. ,Spatiotemporal-switchable 2D NIR-II single-atom nanozyme for single-cell–level surgical navigation and glioblastoma phototherapy.Sci. Transl. Med.18,eaeb8054(2026).DOI:10.1126/scitranslmed.aeb8054