Alkylphosphocholine analogs incorporating a chelating moiety that is chelated to gadolinium are disclosed herein. The alkylphophocholine analogs are compounds having the formula:

##STR00001##

or a salt therof. R.sub.1 includes a chelating agent that is chelated to a gadolinium atom; a is 0 or 1; n is an integer from 12 to 30; m is 0 or 1; Y is H, OH, COOH, COOX, OCOX, or OX, wherein X is an alkyl or an arylalkyl; R.sub.2 is N.sup.+H.sub.3, N.sup.+H.sub.2Z, N.sup.+HZ.sub.2, or N.sup.+Z.sub.3, wherein each Z is independently an alkyl or an aroalkyl; and b is 1 or 2. The compounds can be used to detect solid tumors or to treat solid tumors. In detection/imaging applications, the gadolinium emits signals that are detectable using magnetic resonance imaging. In therapeutic treatment, the gadolinium emits tumor-targeting charged particles when exposed to epithermal neutrons.

Alkylphosphocholine analogs incorporating a chelating moiety that is chelated to gadolinium are disclosed herein. The alkylphophocholine analogs are compounds having the formula: ##STR00001##
or a salt thereof. R.sub.1 includes a chelating agent that is chelated to a gadolinium atom; a is 0 or 1; n is an integer from 12 to 30; m is 0 or 1; Y is H, OH, COOH, COOX, OCOX, or OX, wherein X is an alkyl or an arylalkyl; R.sub.2 is N.sup.+H.sub.3, N.sup.+H.sub.2Z, N.sup.+HZ.sub.2, or N.sup.+Z.sub.3, wherein each Z is independently an alkyl or an aroalkyl; and b is 1 or 2. The compounds can be used to detect solid tumors or to treat solid tumors. In detection/imaging applications, the gadolinium emits signals that are detectable using magnetic resonance imaging. In therapeutic treatment, the gadolinium emits tumor-targeting charged particles when exposed to epithermal neutrons.

A composition for neutron capture therapy and a method of preparing the same are provided. The composition includes at least one nanodiamond particle and at least one neutron capture element, in which the at least one neutron capture element is embedded into the at least one nanodiamond particle by using an ion implantation system.

The invention relates to the treatment of cancer. In particular the invention relates to an internal therapeutic product comprising: (i) an anti-cancer component selected from one or both of: a radionucleotide, a cytotoxic drug; and (ii) a silicon component selected from one or more of: resorbable silicon, biocompatible silicon, bioactive silicon, porous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, and bulk crystalline silicon, the internal therapeutic product being for the treatment of cancer.

A process for treating highly localized carcinoma cells that provides precise positioning of a therapeutic source of highly ionizing but weakly penetrating radiation, which can be shaped so that it irradiates essentially only the volume of the tumor. The intensity and duration of the radiation produced by the source can be activated and deactivated by controlling the neutron flux generated by an array of electrically controlled neutron generators positioned outside the body being treated. The energy of the neutrons that interact with the source element can be adjusted to optimize the reaction rate of the ionized radiation production by utilizing neutron moderating material between the neutron generator array and the body. The source device may be left in place and reactivated as needed to ensure the tumor is eradicated without exposing the patient to any additional radiation between treatments. The source device may be removed once treatment is completed.

A cell-nanoparticle drug delivery system includes mesenchymal stem cells and gadolinium-based agent-loaded magnetic nanoparticles which are internalized into the mesenchymal stem cells. Each of the gadolinium-based agent-loaded magnetic nanoparticles includes a core that is loaded with gadolinium-based agent and that includes a fucoidan-based inner core layer with the fucoidan non-covalently bound to the gadolinium-based agent, and a shell which includes superparamagnetic iron oxide-based inner shell layer with the superparamagnetic iron oxide bound to the gadolinium-based agent through electrical attraction, and an outer shell layer made of fucoidan and polyvinyl alcohol. Methods for inhibiting the growth of tumor cells and diagnosing the tumor cells in a subject using the cell-nanoparticle drug delivery system are also provided.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for imaging and treating various diseases and disorders, including cancers. The composition of the invention can include a plurality of biodegradable micro-beads, each embedding a plurality of nano-beads, further including a polymer, a radionuclide, a radionuclide chelator, a radioligand, a chemotherapeutic agent, and a cell-penetrating peptide. Upon injection into a blood vessel supplying a cancer tumor, the micro-beads lodge into the tumor and degrade, releasing the nano-beads with a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. The compositions and methods of the invention provide a more homogeneous and deeper distribution of radiation or chemotherapeutic agents throughout the target tumor. The micro-beads provide a local, sustained, and controlled delivery nano-beads including therapeutic or diagnostic agents.

A process for treating highly localized carcinoma cells that provides precise positioning of a therapeutic source of highly ionizing but weakly penetrating radiation, which can be shaped so that it irradiates essentially only the volume of the tumor. The intensity and duration of the radiation produced by the source can be activated and deactivated by controlling the neutron flux generated by an array of electrically controlled neutron generators positioned outside the body being treated. The energy of the neutrons that interact with the source element can be adjusted to optimize the reaction rate of the ionized radiation production by utilizing neutron moderating material between the neutron generator array and the body. The source device may be left in place and reactivated as needed to ensure the tumor is eradicated without exposing the patient to any additional radiation between treatments. The source device may be removed once treatment is completed.

An irradiation method and system for irradiating a target volume, the method comprising: providing thermal neutron absorbing nuclides (such as in the form of a high neutron cross-section agent) at the target volume; and producing neutrons by irradiating nuclei in or adjacent to the target volume with a beam of particles consisting of any one or more of protons, deuterons, tritons and heavy ions, thereby prompting production of the neutrons through non-elastic collisions between the atoms in the path of the beam (including the target) and the particles. The neutron absorbing nuclides absorb neutrons produced in the non-elastic collisions, thereby producing capture products or fragments that irradiate the target volume.

Various aspects described herein relate to a functionalized nanoscale substrate. The functionalized nanoscale substrate includes a functionalized surface of the substrate that includes a boronated portion.