Researchers have found a way to trigger cancer drugs inside a tumor to potentially minimize the damage of healthy tissue and alleviate the hair loss, fatigue and nausea of conventional chemotherapy.
In an experimental treatment developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the drug is loaded onto fluorescent nanoparticles, which can be monitored as they make their way through the body. Once collected inside a tumor, the nanoparticles are beamed with a pulse of infrared laser light, which releases the drug.
The light trigger only works up to a range of 4 c.m., so the therapy would be limited to superficial tumors such as those in breast, colon and ovarian cancers. While successful in lab culture, the next step is to try the therapy in mice.
[VoA]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com