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Posted on Nov 16, 2003, 11 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Recent study results suggest that a new cancer treatment that uses microscopic metal shells known as nanoshells can destroy cancer without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. Destructive heat therapy is a minimally invasive alternative to surgery for some cancers, however as the heat used is not targeted the technique can also destroy nearby healthy tissue.
Recent study results suggest that a new cancer treatment that uses microscopic metal shells known as nanoshells can destroy cancer without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. Destructive heat therapy is a minimally invasive alternative to surgery for some cancers, however as the heat used is not targeted the technique can also destroy nearby healthy tissue. To try and overcome the problems associated with the treatment Dr Jennifer L West, from Rice University in Houston, and colleagues began to investigate a type of light known as near-infrared light (NIR). NIR can penetrate normal tissue, however it does not absorb it. In order to exploit this property of NIR West and colleagues developed nanoshells that would absorb the light. Tests on mice with cancer showed that when nanoshells were placed in tumors and then exposed to NIR the NIR effectively destroyed the cancer cells but had little effect upon the surrounding tissues.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: PNAS 2003;100:13549-13554.
Published online before print as 10.1073/pnas.2232479100.
