Medical Can Nanomaterials Be Used to Destroy Cancer Cells?

[EnumaElish]

"Tiny magnetic discs just a millionth of a metre in diameter could be used to kill cancer cells, according to a new study.

"Laboratory tests found the so-called 'nanodiscs', around 60 billionths of a metre thick, could be used to disrupt the membranes of cancer cells, causing them to self-destruct.

"The results of the research appear in the journal Nature Materials.

"One of the study's authors, Dr Elena Rozhlova of Argonne National Laboratory in the United States, says subjecting the nanodiscs to a low magnetic field for around ten minutes was enough to destroy 90% of cancer cells in tests."

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/11/30/2757570.htm

 

[waht]

That's interesting.

Hopefully there won't be any side effects from having nano-disks floating in your blood stream.

 

[hamster143]

In other news, high power lasers, droplets of sulphuric acid, and liquid helium can be effectively used to destroy cancer cells. All that remains is a non-invasive method to deliver liquid helium to cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. Scientists are be working on it and they expect a breakthrough in the next 50 to 100 years.

 

[Pythagorean]

The biggest challenge, I think, is finding and identifying all the cancer cells in a human body. Do the discs discriminate or do they have to be 'steered' by the magnetic field?

 

[hamster143]

They have to be coated with tumor-specific antibodies.

 

[ScottMyHero]

Hey, um I'm 13 and I just found out my uncel has lung cancer and may not make it. I have heard about nanotechnology being used to kill cancer by protecting a poison with fullerine or 'Buckyballs' and the nanos are lead to the cancer cells and the fullerine barrier breaks sending the nanos into the cancer killing it. I was wondering if you knew if it works for lung cancer and if it would be any better than actaully getting the lung removed. They may remove the lung but if it's in two there isn't much that they can do. Please help. We don't have much time.

 

[Monique]

Hi ScottMyHero, I'm sorry to hear about your uncle. Nanotechnology is not yet researched enough to be applied in the clinic, it is still an experimental technology. There are however many treatments available that are proven, the doctors in the hospital will be the best to judge what treatment should be applied to treat the particular lung tumor.

 

[Ascalon]

How do you even program a nanomaterial to attack a cancer cell? :O