Chinese scientists have created a cancer therapy approach that specifically targets and kills cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. This procedure is referred to as targeted radionuclide therapy or molecular radiotherapy.
This is a significant accomplishment in cancer therapy research worldwide, providing hope to late-stage cancer patients.
According to studies, the goal of cancer treatment is to target cancer cells. However, scientists have discovered that while radiation therapy may be effective in targeting cancer cells, certain treatment modalities can also affect normal, healthy cells; the effects vary depending on the specific treatment approach and the patient. Chemotherapy is no exception; the medications can also harm by quickly dividing healthy cells, such as those in the bone marrow, hair follicles, and the lining of the digestive tract leading to hair loss, nausea, and decreased blood cell counts.
The US based institute of Health published a research that revealed oncologists are in fact reluctant to prescribe radiation therapy to severe cancer patients. The complexity of this topic underscores the potential for oncologists and palliative care providers to collaborate to provide cancer patients the very best care at the very end of life.
It seems, both radiation therapy and chemotherapy do not seem to offer protection to healthy and developing tissue, becoming more of a last resort for severe cancer patients as both could potentially cause more damage than improve a patient’s health.
Therefore, the only other alternative was to offer late-stage cancer patients palliative care that eases cancer symptoms, including pain management, emotional support, and assistance with various aspects of physical and mental well-being, thereby improving quality of life. But this groundbreaking method revolutionises cancer treatment. According to researchers in China university, targeted radionuclide therapy or molecular radiotherapy enhances the efficacy of therapies and minimises the harm to healthy tissues.
Peking University, whose researchers led the study, along with researchers from Peking Union Medical Hospital, said in a statement the method was “a disruptive technology in nuclear medicine design and the diagnosis and treatment of tumours’. The Perkins University research also reveals that one of the key strategies used to achieve targeted drug delivery is through the use of nanotechnology. Nanoparticles, which are extremely small particles on the nanoscale, can be designed to carry chemotherapy drugs directly to tumour cells.
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These nanoparticles can be engineered to have specific properties that enable them to selectively accumulate in tumour tissues while sparing healthy cells. For example, researchers have developed nanoparticles that can actively target tumour cells by recognising specific molecules on their surface. These nanoparticles are often coated with ligands or antibodies that bind to receptors present in cancer cells, allowing them to specifically deliver the drug payload to these cells.
This targeted approach minimises exposure to healthy tissues, reducing the risk of side effects associated with conventional chemotherapy. Furthermore, researchers have also explored the use of stimuli-responsive nanoparticles that can release the drug payload only in the presence of certain conditions within the tumour micro-environment. For instance, the acidic pH or high enzyme levels found in tumours can trigger the release of the drug from the nanoparticles, ensuring that it is delivered precisely to the tumour cells.
Another innovative approach to targeted drug delivery is the use of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). ADCs consist of a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to a protein on the surface of cancer cells, coupled with a toxic drug. When the antibody binds to the cancer cell, the drug is released, leading to cell death. This targeted therapy allows for higher drug concentrations at the tumour site while reducing systemic toxicity. In addition to these targeted delivery methods, advancements have been made in imaging technologies that enable real-time visualisation of tumours during treatment.
This allows clinicians to monitor the response of tumours to therapy and make necessary adjustments to optimise treatment outcomes. Techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and fluorescence imaging have greatly contributed to improving the accuracy and precision of cancer treatment.
Health analysts say this groundbreaking discovery will revolutionise the entire health sector, and the future of medicine where specific cells are targeted to minimise the effects that treatment has on other healthy and developing tissue. However there are challenges with the technology, The Perkins University paper notes that ” a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical must achieve both sustainable tumour targeting and fast clearance from healthy tissue, which remains a major challenge”.
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