Just info. Getting closer
cleo
Member Posts: 144
New Zealand scientists have developed tiny "light" particles that can seek out and destroy cancer cells.
Victoria University synthetic chemist Richard Tilley says researchers have established the tools to detect cancer when it is at the stage of a single diseased cell - well ahead of some MRI scans which cannot identify tumours until they are about 2.5 centimetres wide.
"This will mean earlier detection, so it could lead to a better chance of survival," he told The Dominion Post.
After nearly six years the researchers found a way to make tiny silicon particles, or "quantum dots", that gave out light and could be sent safely into the body.
They also found a way to bind the quantum dot to a cancerous cell, so the cell could be found.
The dot could also have drugs attached to it, which could treat the cancer in a targeted way.
Similar particles had been made overseas before but only from toxic chemicals.
Advertisement
The president of the Institute of Chemistry, John Spencer, said the results were a result of combining the skills of different experts. Dr Tilley worked with scientists at the Crown research institute Industrial Research Limited, the Malaghan Institute and MacDiarmid Institute research centres.
"What you find is that, by bringing different experts together, you can create something quite wonderful."
The findings have just been accepted for publication in one of the world's most prestigious science publications, the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Victoria University synthetic chemist Richard Tilley says researchers have established the tools to detect cancer when it is at the stage of a single diseased cell - well ahead of some MRI scans which cannot identify tumours until they are about 2.5 centimetres wide.
"This will mean earlier detection, so it could lead to a better chance of survival," he told The Dominion Post.
After nearly six years the researchers found a way to make tiny silicon particles, or "quantum dots", that gave out light and could be sent safely into the body.
They also found a way to bind the quantum dot to a cancerous cell, so the cell could be found.
The dot could also have drugs attached to it, which could treat the cancer in a targeted way.
Similar particles had been made overseas before but only from toxic chemicals.
Advertisement
The president of the Institute of Chemistry, John Spencer, said the results were a result of combining the skills of different experts. Dr Tilley worked with scientists at the Crown research institute Industrial Research Limited, the Malaghan Institute and MacDiarmid Institute research centres.
"What you find is that, by bringing different experts together, you can create something quite wonderful."
The findings have just been accepted for publication in one of the world's most prestigious science publications, the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
0
Comments
-
Toxicity/Chemo nauseaunknown said:This comment has been removed by the Moderator
Hi Patricia. This latest development appears to have taken the toxicity factor out of the equation. Also being tested here, on chemo users, is a pleasant tasting ice cream which holds an element that stops the nausea of chemo. Developed by Fonterra the signs are very positive that it will be available in a years time.
Celia0
Discussion Boards
- All Discussion Boards
- 6 CSN Information
- 6 Welcome to CSN
- 121.7K Cancer specific
- 2.8K Anal Cancer
- 446 Bladder Cancer
- 309 Bone Cancers
- 1.6K Brain Cancer
- 28.5K Breast Cancer
- 395 Childhood Cancers
- 27.9K Colorectal Cancer
- 4.6K Esophageal Cancer
- 1.2K Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine)
- 13K Head and Neck Cancer
- 6.3K Kidney Cancer
- 670 Leukemia
- 792 Liver Cancer
- 4.1K Lung Cancer
- 5.1K Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin)
- 236 Multiple Myeloma
- 7.1K Ovarian Cancer
- 58 Pancreatic Cancer
- 486 Peritoneal Cancer
- 5.4K Prostate Cancer
- 1.2K Rare and Other Cancers
- 537 Sarcoma
- 727 Skin Cancer
- 652 Stomach Cancer
- 191 Testicular Cancer
- 1.5K Thyroid Cancer
- 5.8K Uterine/Endometrial Cancer
- 6.3K Lifestyle Discussion Boards