The 2012 World Veterinary Cancer Conference in Paris has been presented with stunning research from the University of Missouri seemingly identifying a safer method of cancer therapy using gold nanoparticles over more traditional methods.
Presently when treating many forms of cancer, huge doses of chemotherapy are needed, resulting in damage to healthy tissue due to the toxic side effects of the treatment. Radioactive chemicals are released into the patient’s body to destroy or shrink the cancer tumour, but the therapy is severely debilitating and can also cause harm to vital organs. Now, a small team based at the University of Missouri has experimented with radioactive gold nanoparticles in the hope of finding an effective, side effect-free cancer treatment.
The Scientists at Missouri have now proven that a new form of prostate cancer treatment using radioactive gold nanoparticles is safe to use in dogs. These results from the University are a huge leap forward in the advancement of nanotechnology such as gold nanoparticles in treating human cancers.
The treatment is a more efficient way of targeting prostate tumours as it makes use of radioactively doped gold nanoparticles in doses thousands of times smaller than those used in chemotherapy. The gold nanoparticle therapy also has the added benefit of being able to be introduced directly to the tumour, rather than damaging healthy tissue and organs.
In the majority of cases, prostate cancer that is isolated can be easily managed and treated, but current treatments are not nearly as effective against more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, as the disease can spread to other parts of the body quickly, causing a much larger health issue.
The new research from scientists at the University of Missouri may in time lead to a treatment more able to shrink aggressive tumors or eliminate them completely, if the process can be successfully replicated in humans.
"Dogs represent such a good model because they develop the disease naturally," explains Sandra Axiak-Bechtel, an assistant professor of oncology at the University of Missouri (MU) College of Veterinary Medicine.
Presently when treating many forms of cancer, huge doses of chemotherapy are needed, resulting in damage to healthy tissue due to the toxic side effects of the treatment. Radioactive chemicals are released into the patient’s body to destroy or shrink the cancer tumour, but the therapy is severely debilitating and can also cause harm to vital organs. Now, a small team based at the University of Missouri has experimented with radioactive gold nanoparticles in the hope of finding an effective, side effect-free cancer treatment.
The Scientists at Missouri have now proven that a new form of prostate cancer treatment using radioactive gold nanoparticles is safe to use in dogs. These results from the University are a huge leap forward in the advancement of nanotechnology such as gold nanoparticles in treating human cancers.
The treatment is a more efficient way of targeting prostate tumours as it makes use of radioactively doped gold nanoparticles in doses thousands of times smaller than those used in chemotherapy. The gold nanoparticle therapy also has the added benefit of being able to be introduced directly to the tumour, rather than damaging healthy tissue and organs.
In the majority of cases, prostate cancer that is isolated can be easily managed and treated, but current treatments are not nearly as effective against more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, as the disease can spread to other parts of the body quickly, causing a much larger health issue.
The new research from scientists at the University of Missouri may in time lead to a treatment more able to shrink aggressive tumors or eliminate them completely, if the process can be successfully replicated in humans.
"Dogs represent such a good model because they develop the disease naturally," explains Sandra Axiak-Bechtel, an assistant professor of oncology at the University of Missouri (MU) College of Veterinary Medicine.
Whilst there is still a long way to go before gold nanoparticles are able to be used as cancer treatment methods, you can buy gold nanoparticles for research purposes from Buy BBI - a reputable manufacturer who can provide the scientific-grade necessary for research and experimentation.
RSS Feed