Cancer treatment breakthrough uses tiny metal particles to target tumours
Researchers may have found a new way to destroy cancer cells
- Researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne have developed minuscule 'nanodots' that show promise for future targeted cancer therapies.
- These metal particles, derived from molybdenum oxide, are designed to selectively identify and destroy cancer cells by increasing their stress levels, leading to self-destruction.
- The nanodots release reactive oxygen molecules that trigger apoptosis in cancer cells, while healthy cells remain unaffected.
- In laboratory experiments, the technology eradicated cervical cancer cells at three times the rate of healthy cells over a 24-hour period.
- This early-stage research offers a potentially more affordable and less harmful alternative to existing cancer treatments, with future plans for animal testing and scalable manufacturing.