The scientific journal Nature Medicine published the results of a study of a group of US scientists offering to evaluate the possibilities of creating a fundamentally new drug. It could be delivered exactly to the goal, that is, to the cancer cell, and to operate it with light.

This means that the treatment will be accurately directed and minimally harm the surrounding healthy tissues. According to specialists, this method of treatment can be very promising. Existing methods for the treatment of cancer can be divided into three groups: radiation exposure, surgical intervention and use of medications. All these methods have side effects, and scientists continue to look for more sparing and accurate ways to treat.

Researchers from the National Center for the Study of Cancer in Maryland used antibodies that are "aimed" at finding proteins on the shell of a cancer cell. To the antibodies, the IR700 chemical was "attached", which begins to work only under the influence of light.

To test how this method works, scientists implanted cancer cells into the body of experimental mice. Animals were given medicine and left them at the source of infrared radiation. "The size of the tumor was significantly reduced, compared to tumors that remained in the control group of mice [untreated]. Thanks to this, it was possible to increase the survival rate of the experimental animals, "says the study..

The official representative of the British Foundation for the Study of Cancer Laura McCallum believes the results of the experiment are encouraging.

But, as McCullam points out, it's important to remember that this experiment was conducted on mice, so it's too early to say that the method will also work successfully in treating a person.

According to her, now scientists, including British, are working on the possibility of using antibodies in radiation irradiation, that is, for "delivering" radiation precisely to the cancer cell, and not to the healthy one.

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