Hydrogel patch will cope with tumors

Copper news based on ScienceAlert materials: This new gel patch unleashes a 'triple attack' on tumours.

A hydrogel antitumor patch can become an alternative to other drugs used in the treatment of cancer. So far, it has been tested only on mice, but the authors believe that it will effectively cope with malignant neoplasms in humans. The creators of the tool have achieved the greatest success in the treatment of colorectal cancer. When dealing with this type of tumor, doctors face difficulties: it is quite difficult to remove the tumor completely and surgeons are not always sure that they succeeded. In this case, the solution could be a hydrogel patch with drugs.

It must be placed where the tumor was located – medications will act on cancer cells, destroying them. The patch will replace chemotherapeutic treatment, the creators believe.

Natalie Artz explained that tests on mice suffering from colorectal cancer were successful – in some cases, the patch helped completely destroy the tumors without surgery and their surgical removal was not required. In the same case, if the patch was used after the removal of the neoplasm, there was no recurrence at all. In cases where the patch was not used, the probability of tumor re-formation was 40%.

First, the patch secretes gold nanorods necessary for the thermal destruction of the tumor. Then, chemotherapeutic drugs inside the nanorods act on cancer cells. And finally, gold nanoparticles containing RNA probes for gene therapy begin to act – they inactivate the gene, the mutation in which provoked the development of colorectal cancer. It is not necessary to remove the patch – over time it resolves independently from heating.

Figure from the article by Conde et al. Local triple-combination therapy results in tumour regression and prevents recurrence in a colon cancer model, published in the journal Nature Materials – VM.

In the near future, the patch will be tested on larger animals, and if the experiments are successful, the researchers will test it on humans.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru  23.08.2016