GOLD NANOTUBES SIMULTANEOUSLY DETECT AND KILL CANCER CELLS

New Imaging Technique from Leeds University Both Detects and Destroys Tumors in Mice

What about a technology that can both search out and destroy cancerous tumors. Scientists at the University of Leeds have tested gold nanotubes that do just that. The gold tubes absorb near-infrared light frequencies, which generates heat and also renders human skin transparent. Therefore lasers of differing brightness can be used to achieve multiple ends.

Using a laser of relatively low brightness will reveal tumors, while those of high brightness will heat the tubes sufficiently to kill neighboring cancerous cells. The space within the nanotube could also be used deliver drugs at the same time.

So far the technique has only been tried on mice which were injected with the nanotubes. “In order to see the gold nanotubes in the body, the researchers used a new type of imaging technique called ‘multispectral optoacoustic tomography’ (MSOT) to detect the gold nanotubes in the mice.” An added benefit of the technique is that the tubes are excreted from the body with no instances of toxicity detected. The imaging technique is still in the trial stage, but will shortly move to clinical trials.

 

Gold nanoparticles have also been paired with infrared light for other medical treatments such as liposuction