Khaberni - Preserving healthy cells is one of the most important challenges and elusive goals in cancer treatment by various methods, whether surgical, radiological, or chemical; healthy cells are significantly affected - though at different levels - by these procedures during the treatment cycle.
In a striking medical development that may revolutionize cancer treatment and bring us closer to achieving these goals, American researchers have unveiled an innovative treatment that uses infrared light and nanotechnology to eliminate cancer cells without harming healthy cells, according to a recent report by the ScienceAlert website.
The new treatment, developed by scientists at the University of Texas in Austin, relies on combining LED light with tin oxide (SnOx) nanochips, which precisely heat cancer cells until they are destroyed, while completely preserving healthy tissue.
A light that safely kills malignant cells
This innovation represents a qualitative leap in the field of "Photothermal Therapy," which relies on heating cancer cells to destroy them.
Unlike previous systems that used costly and sometimes dangerous lasers, this system relies on simple and low-cost LED lamps, making the treatment safer and more suitable for clinical use or future home use.
According to the research team, the nanochips used absorb infrared rays with high efficiency and convert them to sufficient localized heat to destroy the membranes and proteins of cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells undamaged as they are less sensitive to heat.
Stunning results in laboratory trials
In laboratory tests, the system managed to destroy 92% of skin cancer cells and 50% of colon cancer cells in just half an hour, without affecting healthy human skin cells.
This level of selectivity is evidence of the therapy's ability to target tumors with unprecedented precision, especially in skin cancers such as melanoma and basal cell carcinoma, which can be treated through direct light.
A sustainable and easy-to-implement technology
Tin oxide chips are characterized as a stable and biologically safe material, already used in electronics. The researchers have managed to produce them in an aqueous, non-toxic manner, making their production cheap, environmentally friendly, and scalable for industrial expansion.
Furthermore, the team hopes to develop small LED devices that can be used on the skin after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells and prevent tumor recurrence, like photonic patches applied to the surgical site.
Toward a more humane and less expensive treatment
This technology is a promising step towards making cancer treatment more precise and humane, as it spares patients the severe side effects of both chemical and radiation therapy, such as hair loss, fatigue, and organ damage.
It could also open the door to low-cost home treatments in resource-limited countries, making cancer fighting more fair and inclusive.
Currently, scientists are working on developing versions of the technology capable of reaching deep tumors, such as breast and colon cancers, in addition to studying the possibility of integrating it with immunotherapies to enhance the body's response against malignant cells.
Experts believe that light, as one of the simplest forms of energy in nature, may soon become an effective medical weapon in eliminating tumors without pain or serious side effects.
