A diagnosis of mesothelioma is often followed by the typical cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. These treatments can be accompanied by severe side effects such as hair loss, nausea, fatigue, pain and more. The reason is that the chemotherapy and radiation not only attack cancer cells but healthy cells, too.
New advances in cancer show the treatment of cancer therapies "targeted" could offer an alternative option for cancer patients. These treatments target only the harmful cancer cells by attacking the tissue environment that contributes to the growth and survival of cancer.
Jonathan Lovell Researcher of the New York State University in Buffalo, working on a targeted drug delivery system for cancer that uses lasers and light activated drugs. He developed spherical pods of nanometric size - so small, they are 1/1000 the diameter of a human hair. Lovell filled pods with anti-cancer drugs and injected into the body where they circulate safely.
The pods can be activated to release the anti-cancer drugs when Lovell shines a red laser on the tumor. The light triggers the pods open. When the laser is turned off, close cloves. A red laser is used because red light penetrates human tissue better than other colors.
In addition, the pods have the ability to collect proteins and hormones in the environment of the tumor. This essentially provides a small biopsy that doctors can analyze to improve the treatment even further.
Although targeted cancer therapies may offer less serious side effects, they still have common side effects include diarrhea, liver problems such as hepatitis and elevated liver enzymes, skin problems , blood clotting problems and would healing, hypertension and gastrointestinal perforation, according to the National cancer Institute.
Current mesothelioma treatments include chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, surgery or clinical trials. There is no cure for mesothelioma at the time. However, advances in cancer treatments - such as research Lovell - can lead to more targeted treatment with less severe side effects
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