Cancer treatment has reached a new milestone with the development of molecular jackhammers, offering hope for more targeted and efficient therapies. This innovative approach utilizes advanced molecular science to disrupt cancer cells in a way that minimizes harm to healthy tissue.
The novel method stimulates aminocyanine molecules with near-infrared light, causing them to vibrate and produce enough force to rupture the membranes of cancer cells without invasive procedures. This breakthrough demonstrates the potential to tackle deep- seated cancers, including those in bones and organs, that are often challenging to treat with conventional methods.
The research team from Rice University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Texas notes that this method represents a marked improvement over earlier cancer-fighting molecular machines. The use of near-infrared light allows scientists to penetrate deeper into the body, potentially treating cancer embedded in bones and organs without invasive surgery.
Lab tests achieved a 99 percent success rate in obliterating lab-grown cancer cells, while tests on mice with melanoma tumors showed half of the animals became cancer-free. This promising new approach could avoid resistance mechanisms commonly seen in cancer cells.
While traditional cancer treatment options continue to evolve, the discovery of molecular jackhammers opens exciting new doors. The study is published in the journal Nature Chemistry.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/molecular-jackhammers-a-breakthrough-in-cancer-treatment/