Laser-activated nanoparticle therapy for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in Veterans
Official title: Safety Assessment of Laser Activated NanoTherapy (LANT) as a Potential Treatment for Veterans with Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Funded at Miami VA Health Care System · NIH-11172512 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries a laser-activated nanoparticle treatment to shrink or remove skin squamous cell cancers in Veterans who can't or prefer not to have surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miami VA Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Miami, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01CX002353-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11172512 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Veterans with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma who are not good surgical candidates or who request a non-surgical alternative, including those who are immunosuppressed or have other comorbidities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with deeply metastatic disease, tumors not amenable to a localized surface therapy, or those who are good candidates for standard surgical treatment may not receive benefit from this localized approach.
What this research studies
The team is developing Laser-Activated NanoTherapy (LANT), which uses gold nanorods placed at the tumor site and a near-infrared laser to produce local heat that kills cancer cells. In laboratory tests LANT caused complete cancer cell death at higher doses and tumor regression after a single treatment in preclinical models. The current work focuses on safety, where the researchers will study how the particles behave in the body and whether the treatment causes unwanted effects. The goal is to create a targeted, non-surgical option for Veterans with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma who need alternatives to surgery or radiation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, LANT could provide a targeted, non-surgical way to destroy skin squamous cell cancers with fewer systemic side effects than some current treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies of gold-nanorod photothermal therapies have shown promising tumor-killing results, but clinical use in humans is still early and largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Miami VA Health Care System
Miami, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Green, Hadiyah-Nicole — Miami VA Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Green, Hadiyah-Nicole
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.