Posted on 12/03/2007 1:54:31 PM PST by Red Badger
Cancer cells treated with carbon nanotubes can be destroyed by noninvasive radio waves that heat up the nanotubes while sparing untreated tissue, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Rice University has shown in preclinical experiments.
In a paper published in the journal Cancer, the researchers demonstrated that the technique completely destroyed liver cancer tumors in rabbits. There were no side effects noted. However, some healthy liver tissue within 2 to 5 millimeters of the tumors sustained heat damage due to nanotube leakage from the tumor.
"These are promising, even exciting, preclinical results in this liver cancer model," said lead investigator Steven Curley, M.D., of M.D. Anderson. "Our next step is to look at ways to more precisely target the nanotubes so they attach to, and are taken up by, cancer cells while avoiding normal tissue."
Curley conducted the research in collaboration with nanotechnology experts at Rice University and with Erie, Pennsylvania, entrepreneur John Kanzius of ThermMed LLC, who invented the experimental radiofrequency generator used in the experiments. Kanzius is a cancer survivor and former radio station owner whose insights into the potential of targeted radio waves inspired this line of research. At Rice, the work was begun by Nobel laureate Richard Smalley several months before his death from cancer in October 2005.
In the liver cancer experiment, a solution of single-walled carbon nanotubes was injected directly into the tumors. Four treated rabbits were then exposed to 2 minutes of radiofrequency treatment, resulting in thermal destruction of their tumors. Control group tumors that were treated only by radiofrequency exposure or only by nanotubes were undamaged. In lab experiments, two lines of liver cancer cells and one pancreatic cancer cell line were destroyed after being incubated with nanotubes and exposed to the radiofrequency field.
Curley stated that radiofrequency energy fields penetrate deeply into tissue, so it would be possible to deliver heat anywhere in the body if targeted nanotubes or other nanoparticles can be delivered to cancerous cells. Without such a target, radio waves will pass harmlessly through the body.
An invasive technique known as radiofrequency ablation is used to treat some malignant tumors, the authors note. It requires insertion of needle electrodes directly into the tumors. Incomplete tumor destruction occurs in 5 to 40 percent of cases; normal tissue is damaged, and complications arise in 10 percent of patients who suffer such damage. Radiofrequency ablation is limited to liver, kidney, breast, lung, and bone cancers.
This work is detailed in the paper “Carbon nanotube-enhanced thermal destruction of cancer cells in a noninvasive radiofrequency field.” Investigators from Rice University, ThermMed LLC, and the National Center for Scientific Research in Bordeaux, France, also participated in this study. This paper was published online in advance of print publication. An abstract of this paper is available through PubMed.
Source: National Cancer Institute
In those areas where possible direct injection would most likely be used. For some other situation, a "helper" or "guide" may be necessary to get the tubes to the proper place, like sneaking into a bar with a fake ID. A chemical or nutrient that is transported to the particular area of the body that has the cancer could be used as a vehicle to carry the tubes to the proper places............
John Kanzius is the same guy who made the news a while back about producing Hydrogen from salt water using radio frequencies.
Thank's for your good wishes WT. It's encouraging to hear that your SIL is now cured, I pray that she will remain cancer free.
“However, what causes the cancer in the first place?”
Age, toxins, bad luck, simply human biology.
“Tumors are one thing but what is it that causes the nanotubes to seek out cancer cells?”
There are a number of methods already used to select cells for everything from targetting to drug delivery. The method varies from purpose to purpose, and it’s likely that cells from each individual’s cancer will be analysed to determine how to target those cells. Most of the technology to do this already exists in its basic form and has been used for other forms of treatment, it’s a matter of refinement and demonstrating effectiveness in human trials. There is every reason to believe this method has more across-the-board promise than most anything else out there.
Prayers for your son..
“Find some tumor-specific receptors and attach the ligands to the nanotubes.”
As is the case with other attempts at molecular targetting, they’re apparently seeing residual uptake where they’d prefer not to. For this method to be effective they’ll need to develop a targetting and delivery system flexible enough to account for the wide disparities between one cancer and another.
The researchers are getting closer to those questions. Some drugs already target specific cancer proteins for very specific cancers. Some of these antibodies (protein receptor) are being combined with Radioactive elements to pinpoint radiation. More of these drugs are in the pipelines in Phase 2 and 3 trials.
We have been able to cure cancer in mice for 30 years.
And just imagine how Hillary's National Health Service would have developed this treatment years ago...and used it to save millions of cancer-sufferers.
< /sarc> as if it were needed.
so liberalism causes cancer and listening to EIB destroys it.
Thanks very much for your prayers. I have to believe that prayer has been a major factor in my son’s good response to treatment.
Yes, and probably not.
They would have to be the right frequency, as RB points out, but they would also have to have enough radiated power to cause the RF ablation they're aiming for here.
In other words, your microwave oven works at 2.4GHz, because that's where it can resonate water in food. Your WiFi router ALSO radiates energy at 2.4GHZ, but on the order of 1/10th of a Watt, divided by a sphere...all directions, so most of that is aimed away from you, even standing next to it.
Whereas a Microwave oven dumps out 800 Watts or more, aimed 100% at that chicken!
So, apparently they are using lower frequencies than 2.4GHz to not resonate water-mass tissue directly, and thus, the radiated power from UHF and cell phones at similar frequencies is orders of magnitude lower, and not much threat.
Besides, sounds like the intent of the procedure is to ablate the tissue, and then I assume the body will naturally expunge this dead tissue and remaining carbon junk like a burned omelette on hangover morning!
Will say prayers for your son.
thanks, bfl
Exactly, but we don’t seem to be “there” yet. Everything I’ve seen suffers to some degree from either being a little too conservative or a little too liberal, and rapid customization is still unrealized. I’d think we might eventually see adaptable commercial kits that would cover the large majority of patients, though.
I’ll keep you and your family in my prayers. May God bless your son with a cure.
mark
I'm afraid I'm too dense to grasp your point.
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