Hyperthermia has been gaining a lot of interest recently as a method for curing malignant tumor especially as an adjunct to other modalities such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Hyperthermia can be effected by heating magnetic nanoparticles injected locally near the cancerous tissue that could be heated with the help of an external alternating magnetic field. The temperature rise in the range 42-46oC (315- 319 K) is highly desirable to perish the malignant tumors where in any change in the adjacent normal cells remain cyclic. However, temperature rise above 50 oC may cause severe necrosis. The rise can be controlled by using magnetic nanoparticles with a Curie temperature lies in the range of 42-46 oC (315- 319 K). Studies in this context have been focused to find the suitable material having desired magnetic properties and addressable biocompatibility issues.
To make the nanoparticles avoid detection and subsequent elimination by the retico endothelial system (RES) they have to be coated with biocompatible polymers. More over the coatings may be thermosensitive by selecting polymers having melting point par to the Curie temperature of the particles (315- 319 K); so that it can be used to assist in delivering chemotherapy drugs or radiosensitizing agents. Thus low Tc, physiologically safe and sustainable materials for self controlled magnetic fluid hyperthermia is possible.
