Owing
to the problems associated with conventional cancer treatment
methods, magnetic hyperthermia-based cancer therapy has gained importance
recently. Achieving the desired heating effect at the site of the
tumor with a minimal concentration of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs)
and a safer field is necessary to explore the advantages of hyperthermia.
For one to address this challenge, biocompatible IONPs with a desirable
magnetic response at a tolerable field are necessary. In this work,
magnetic shape anisotropy of iron oxide nanorods (NR) of different
lengths (70, 115, 170, and 210 nm) with different aspect ratios ranging
from 1.55 to 3.2 was explored to achieve higher hysteresis loss, in
turn leading to better hyperthermia efficiency. The magnetic properties
of the NRs with respect to the applied field were studied using micromagnetic
simulation. Even though the nanorods with high aspect ratio showed
a higher hysteresis loss of 69485 J/m3 at 2000 Oe, the
field required to attain it was high and well beyond the safety limit.
From nanorods of various aspect ratios, the nanorod with a lower aspect
ratio of 1.55 and a length of 70 nm exhibited a better hysteresis
loss and specific absorption rate (SAR) value of 4214 W g–1 was achieved at a frequency and alternating magnetic field of 400
kHz and 800 Oe, respectively. The PEGylated GO-Nanorod of 70 nm exhibited
excellent antitumor efficacy in 4T1 tumor model mice by obstructing
the tumor progression within a safer dosage and field.