Brain tumor detection using gold nanoparticles

Cancer research is one of the most heavily researched areas in medicine. Many different techniques have been explored and developed to identify, treat, and heal cancer patients with minimal side effects. One group out of Duke University has come up with a unique method to identify cancerous tumors in the brain.

The group has researched using gold nanoparticles to tag brain tumors for better identification. The particles are grown to a certain length/width ratio to scatter a specific frequency of light. These gold nano-rods are then attached to antibodies that bind to receptor proteins typically located in high concentrations on the outsides of cancer cells. The particle thus effectively tags and target cancer cells through a simple injection of gold nano-particles attached to antibodies.

The group is still currently working on developing a sensor that can use this technique to image a brain in-vivo, but this method of tumor identification is relatively straightforward and definitely feasible for widespread use in the future.

This technology is of interest to me because it uses the simple concept of light to solve one of the most challenging problems in this area. The use of gold nanoparticles to tag tumors simply outlines exactly where the tumor is located, allowing doctors to remove exactly the right tissue without damaging healthy areas or the patient having to undergo extensive testing and treatments that may or may not be effective.

Sources:
http://www.osa.org/About_Osa/Newsroom/News_Releases/Releases/10.2011/Tagging-Tumors-with-Gold.aspx
http://medgadget.com/2011/10/gold-nanoparticles-to-better-tag-brain-tumours.html