Gold nanocages that destroy tumor cells
Cancer research is extremely important right now and it is improving every day. Being that killing tumor cells without destroying other cells in the body is a challenge, it is extremely difficult to treat cancer without weakening the patient’s body. That is why, this late research that approaches the destruction of tumor cells in a different and more effective way, could be a possible solution to the many problems that arise when looking for a way to cure cancer.
Professor of Biomedical Engineering Younan Xia, Professor of Radiology Michael Welch and their colleagues proposed the employment of gold nanocages that would use caloric energy (heat) to destroy targeted tumor cells. The nanocages can absorb a certain wavelength of light and convert it to heat. Then the nanocages can destroy the tumor cells through a process called local tumor hyperthermia. The advantage of using gold for the nanocages is that since gold is inert, it would not be disposed of by the liver. This would allow for the nanocages to remain in circulation and thus target as many tumor cells s possible in the patient’s body.
The way in which the nanocages are supposed to target tumor cells is by implanting antibodies into them, which can specifically recognize tumor cells. This way, the nanocages are only destroying tumor cells and not healthy ones. This presents an advantage that this method has over currently used ones because it aims to cause as little damage as possible on healthy cells, thus decreasing side effects.
the article can be found at http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/04/19/gold-nanocages-at-forefront-of-modern-cancer-treatment/
Geraldine Pena-Galea
Professor of Biomedical Engineering Younan Xia, Professor of Radiology Michael Welch and their colleagues proposed the employment of gold nanocages that would use caloric energy (heat) to destroy targeted tumor cells. The nanocages can absorb a certain wavelength of light and convert it to heat. Then the nanocages can destroy the tumor cells through a process called local tumor hyperthermia. The advantage of using gold for the nanocages is that since gold is inert, it would not be disposed of by the liver. This would allow for the nanocages to remain in circulation and thus target as many tumor cells s possible in the patient’s body.
The way in which the nanocages are supposed to target tumor cells is by implanting antibodies into them, which can specifically recognize tumor cells. This way, the nanocages are only destroying tumor cells and not healthy ones. This presents an advantage that this method has over currently used ones because it aims to cause as little damage as possible on healthy cells, thus decreasing side effects.
the article can be found at http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/04/19/gold-nanocages-at-forefront-of-modern-cancer-treatment/
Geraldine Pena-Galea
posted by Geraldine at 12:00 PM
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