Khaberni - A team from the University of Texas at Austin said they have developed an innovative phototherapy that eliminates 92% of skin cancer cells and 50% of colon cancer cells in just 30 minutes, while preserving healthy cells.
How the technology works
The technique relies on targeting infrared light on test tubes containing both cancerous and healthy cells, along with SnOx nanosheets that are absorbed by the cancer cells. When the cancer cells are exposed to the light, these sheets turn into microscopic heaters that raise the cell’s temperature by up to 19 degrees Celsius, leading to damage to the internal structures of the cell and its death.
The high temperature alters the nature of the proteins in the cell, disrupts the cell membrane, and stops its vital functions. It can also stimulate cell death, triggering an immune response to attack more cancer cells.
Initial results
After 30 minutes of light exposure, the treatment killed up to 92% of skin cancer cells and 50% of colon cancer cells, while the healthy cells remained largely unaffected.
This treatment differs from traditional treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, in its ability to reduce known side effects like hair loss, nausea, and weakened immunity. Additionally, the use of LED lamps instead of lasers makes it more cost-effective and widely available, with the potential to develop portable devices for home treatment, especially for skin cancer patients post-surgery.
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Dr. Jane Anne Incorvia, a researcher in nanodevices and the leader of the study, said: "Our goal was to create a treatment that is not only effective but also safe and accessible. By combining LED light with SnOx sheets, we developed a method to precisely target cancer cells while leaving healthy cells untouched."
Future prospects
This discovery represents the latest advancement in photothermal therapy, which traditionally uses expensive, facility-specific lasers. The new method using LEDs opens the way for a cheaper and more widespread application.
Although the trials were only conducted on skin cancer and colon cells, the researchers plan to expand the trials to include other types of cancer. These innovations come at a time when the incidence of skin and colon cancer is increasing globally, especially among young people.
