A new approach to cancer treatment reveals a technique that destroys cancer cells. Tiny explosions are being used at Rice University to destroy diseased cells. Using lasers and nanoparticles, the scientists are able to create "nanobubbles" in various sizes. The larger bubbles, when injected into cancer cells, are shown to destroy them when they burst. One scientist compares the bubbles to "jackhammers."
When short laser pulses strike gold nanoparticles, nanobubbles are created. By changing the power of the laser, the very bright bubbles can be made small or large. The bright nanobubbles can be seen clearly under a microscope and are used to diagnose sick cells, as well as track the explosions destroying them.
A study from last year revealed how the bubbles can help unclog arteries. When nanobubbles are applied to arterial plaque, they blast through the deposits, thus destroying them and unblocking the arteries. The new study by Lapotko and Rice colleague Jason Hafner, associate professor of physics and astronomy and of chemistry, tested the technique on leukemia cells and cancer cells from the head and neck. The tests proved positive when the bubbles not only located the cells, but destroyed them as well.
"Single-cell targeting is one of the most touted advantages of nanomedicine, and our approach delivers on that promise with a localized effect inside an individual cell," said Rice physicist Dmitri Lapotko, the lead researcher on the project. "The idea is to spot and treat unhealthy cells early, before a disease progresses to the point of making people extremely ill."
The new discovery can help researchers improve cancer treatment and cancer diagnosis, which varies according to the type of cancer a patient is diagnosed with. Current cancer diagnosis options and cancer treatment plans are extremely invasive and difficult for sufferers, survivors and caregivers.
Prostate cancer treatment had a breakthrough in Ireland today when a DNA-based vaccine was developed in animals that destroyed secondary prostate cancer cells. Secondary cancer cells are when the cancer has already spread to other areas of the body. The nanobubble technology could possibly prevent such an occurrence from happening.
Hafner states, "The mechanical and optical properties of the bubbles offer unique advantages in localizing the biomedical applications to the individual cell level, or perhaps even to work within cells."
Written by Amy Munday
Huliq.com
Comment and add to the story without registration, but keep the comments meaningful please. Links are not accepted.
