Thursday 5 March 2015
An Organic Alternative to Cancer Treatment?
When it comes to fatal diseases, cancer is probably the first topic of conversation. There is no doubt that unless cancer growth is caught and treated early, there is a good likelihood of it turning fatal.
Finding a cure to cancer has been a high priority for many companies and laboratories. The result of this has been many medications, many of them still at clinical trials, which can reduce the cancer growth from a fatal to a treatable stage. A few well-known examples of such medications are:
Finding an Organic Cancer Solution
However, the drug companies aren’t the only ones who are trying to find a medication that can cure or help cure this disease. Quality research is also being done in finding a suitable organic solution, one that will focus only on destroying the cancer without affecting body’s healthy cells.
The latest news comes from the stem cell research lab at the University of Manchester. Scientists have found a way to use graphene, an allotrope of carbon, to target and destroy cancer cells in the body. The team of researchers that was conducting the study included Dr. Federica Sotgia, Dr. Aravind Vijayaraghavan, and was headed by Professor Michael Lisanti, Director of the Manchester Centre for Cellular Metabolism.
Understanding Graphene
As mentioned earlier, graphene is an allotrope of carbon. It is also a non-toxic material. Graphene oxide can easily enter or affix itself to cell surfaces. It is also known to maintain its stability in water. The team utilized graphene oxide, a modified form of the original allotrope, to target cancer stem cells within the body.
How Does it Work in Curing Cancer?
Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) are capable of growing different types of cancer tumors within the body. The cells aid in metastasis, the spread of cancer to various parts of the body. Also, they are the cells responsible for the recurrence of cancer in a patient.
The team of researchers found that CSCs separate from the other cancer cells to form what are called tumor spheres – small masses of differentiated cancer cells. The team introduced flakes of graphene oxide onto the CSCs. What the team observed was, not only did the oxide prevent the CSCs from forming tumor spheres, many mutated into non-cancer cells.
From these positive results, the team tested graphene oxide on different parts of the body where CSCs were found to have been the cause for cancer:
The research team also found that graphene oxide prevented the formation of tumor spheres in all the tested types of the disease. They hopes that this new discovery will lead to more extensive studies, and graphene oxide can be proven to be a therapeutic in cancer prevention.
A Second Coming
This is not the first time a research team has made such a discovery. In 2011, Canadian researchers at the University of Edmonton claimed that they had found a cure for cancer. They were able to make this discovery after performing tests on a synthetic drug called dichloroacetate. This is a chemical that causes cancer cells within the body to abandon their metabolic growth process. The chemical also causes the mitochondria in the body to kill the cancer cells. Also, the research team found that dichloroacetate did not have any side effects or long-term effects. However, medication manufacturing companies were unable to test and mass produce this chemical into a useable drug. You can read more about this study here.
What is in Store in the Future?
While there is a still a long way to go before graphene oxide can be termed as a useable drug, there is a possibility of it becoming a realistic option for cancer therapy. This can be a glimmer of hope for many cancer patients, who are waiting for a cure that does not cause harm to the body while ridding it of the disease.
Finding a cure to cancer has been a high priority for many companies and laboratories. The result of this has been many medications, many of them still at clinical trials, which can reduce the cancer growth from a fatal to a treatable stage. A few well-known examples of such medications are:
- Carlfizomib – used for treating multiple myeloma
- Tivozanib – used in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma
- XL184 (Cabozantinib) - This is known to be effective in fighting prostate cancer
- T-DM1 (Trastuzumab-DM1) – This is well-known medication used for breast cancer
Finding an Organic Cancer Solution
However, the drug companies aren’t the only ones who are trying to find a medication that can cure or help cure this disease. Quality research is also being done in finding a suitable organic solution, one that will focus only on destroying the cancer without affecting body’s healthy cells.
The latest news comes from the stem cell research lab at the University of Manchester. Scientists have found a way to use graphene, an allotrope of carbon, to target and destroy cancer cells in the body. The team of researchers that was conducting the study included Dr. Federica Sotgia, Dr. Aravind Vijayaraghavan, and was headed by Professor Michael Lisanti, Director of the Manchester Centre for Cellular Metabolism.
Understanding Graphene
As mentioned earlier, graphene is an allotrope of carbon. It is also a non-toxic material. Graphene oxide can easily enter or affix itself to cell surfaces. It is also known to maintain its stability in water. The team utilized graphene oxide, a modified form of the original allotrope, to target cancer stem cells within the body.
How Does it Work in Curing Cancer?
Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) are capable of growing different types of cancer tumors within the body. The cells aid in metastasis, the spread of cancer to various parts of the body. Also, they are the cells responsible for the recurrence of cancer in a patient.
The team of researchers found that CSCs separate from the other cancer cells to form what are called tumor spheres – small masses of differentiated cancer cells. The team introduced flakes of graphene oxide onto the CSCs. What the team observed was, not only did the oxide prevent the CSCs from forming tumor spheres, many mutated into non-cancer cells.
From these positive results, the team tested graphene oxide on different parts of the body where CSCs were found to have been the cause for cancer:
- Brain
- Breast
- Lung
- Prostate
- Ovarian
- Pancreatic
The research team also found that graphene oxide prevented the formation of tumor spheres in all the tested types of the disease. They hopes that this new discovery will lead to more extensive studies, and graphene oxide can be proven to be a therapeutic in cancer prevention.
A Second Coming
This is not the first time a research team has made such a discovery. In 2011, Canadian researchers at the University of Edmonton claimed that they had found a cure for cancer. They were able to make this discovery after performing tests on a synthetic drug called dichloroacetate. This is a chemical that causes cancer cells within the body to abandon their metabolic growth process. The chemical also causes the mitochondria in the body to kill the cancer cells. Also, the research team found that dichloroacetate did not have any side effects or long-term effects. However, medication manufacturing companies were unable to test and mass produce this chemical into a useable drug. You can read more about this study here.
What is in Store in the Future?
While there is a still a long way to go before graphene oxide can be termed as a useable drug, there is a possibility of it becoming a realistic option for cancer therapy. This can be a glimmer of hope for many cancer patients, who are waiting for a cure that does not cause harm to the body while ridding it of the disease.
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