Iranian Doctor Pioneers New Approach to Cancer Treatment
WANA (Aug 23) – Professor Mohammad Esmail Akbari, a prominent Iranian cancer surgeon and researcher, has announced an approach that, according to him, was developed in Iran for the first time in 2024 to diagnose and treat advanced and metastatic solid cancers. The approach is now being evaluated at several medical centers in Iran and research centers abroad.
Akbari, who has spent nearly five decades working in cancer surgery and research, is among the physicians who have devoted a significant part of their careers to advancing specialized cancer education, clinical research and cancer treatment services in Iran.
He says the group’s new approach, unlike many conventional methods that directly target cancer cells, focuses on the tumor microenvironment — the surrounding tissue that has attracted growing attention from researchers in recent years because of its role in tumor growth, spread and resistance to treatment.
Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment
According to Akbari, the method is designed to target FAP, a protein expressed by certain cells surrounding tumors. The approach uses a targeted compound known as FAPI, combined with a radioisotope to deliver the therapeutic effect directly to the targeted tissue.
Akbari says the method was initially tested on patients with advanced and metastatic cancers who had limited treatment options. According to him, some patients experienced a significant extension in survival, with the increase reaching several years in some cases.
He also says that more than 500 patients in Iran have so far been diagnosed or treated using the approach, while the research team is continuing to compile long-term follow-up data.
However, a definitive assessment of the method’s effectiveness and safety requires comprehensive clinical-trial data and independent evaluation of the results.
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The Method Enters International Studies
One of the most significant aspects of Akbari’s remarks concerns the response from the international scientific and pharmaceutical communities. He says studies on the approach have been published in leading medical journals and that four international pharmaceutical companies have invested around $45 million in its development and clinical trials.
According to Akbari, clinical trials of the approach have begun at 51 medical centers in different countries. The final results could determine whether the method has the potential to become a standard treatment option for advanced cancers.
If its results are confirmed through large-scale, independent studies, the significance of the approach would extend beyond an Iranian scientific achievement and could attract broader attention in the fields of nuclear medicine and targeted cancer therapy.
Five Decades in Medicine and Cancer Education
Akbari was born in 1950 in Tuyserkan, western Iran, and graduated from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 1974. After completing his surgical training, he also became involved in health administration and was among the early officials of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.
He later traveled to the Johns Hopkins University in the United States for further training and research, where he worked in the field of cancer surgery. He eventually returned to Iran and continued his academic and clinical career.
Akbari is regarded as one of the pioneers of specialized training in cancer and breast surgery in Iran. He says more than 200 physicians and fellows have been trained under his supervision through various educational programs and are now working across different Iranian provinces.
He also considers the establishment of a cancer research center and the expansion of specialized cancer training among the most important achievements of his professional career.
Focus on the Tumor Microenvironment and Treatment Resistance
In another part of the interview, Akbari emphasized the importance of exosomes and their role in cancer-cell resistance to treatment. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles involved in communication between cells and have become an important area of cancer research in recent years.
He says his research team is examining the potential therapeutic applications of exosomes and their impact on patients’ responses to treatment, with several specialized studies currently underway.
