US researchers have found that the wellness and wellbeing of cancer patients could be improved by using so-called cancer ‘monorails’ which are used to kill off tumours by luring them towards toxic pits or into areas of the body on which they can safely operate.
Cancer is one of the biggest health concerns facing people of all ages in every country around the world, and so this breakthrough research could have very significant repercussions.
The team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology has designed something called nanofibres, which are thinner than human hair and which cancers ‘choose’ to travel along. Studies carried out on animals so far have shown that tumour sizes can be reduced significantly by tricking cancer cells into migrating into these monorail-type fibres.
Leading cancer charity, Cancer Research UK, said that the idea of doing this was very fascinating, but cautioned that it was still early days in terms of the research.
The team that is working on this technique is working specifically with the most difficult types of brain cancer to treat, something called glioblastomas, which spread inside the brain and are often fatal. As these cancerous cells spread, they travel down blood vessels and nerves and end up invading the whole of the brain.
The nanofibre technology that the group is looking into mimics the channels that these types of cancerous cells use to move around the brain. The cancer cells normally latch on to these types of ‘monorail’ structures, and then move around the brain. The hope is that by providing alternative, attractive fibres, the tumours could be efficiently moved to different destinations, chosen by the treatment provider.
According to studies done on tests in a Petri dish, there are various types of cancers which can ride along this type of ‘monorail’ system.
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