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Nanotechnology and Cancer

nanotechnology cancer

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#1 A941

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Posted 17 September 2014 - 01:17 AM


If we would have primitive Nanomachines which we could plant in the human body and program to identify, and destroy a certain type of cell, would this turn cancer from a (often) terminal disease into a chronic one?



#2 niner

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Posted 17 September 2014 - 02:52 AM

I don't think that nanomachines would be able to recognize a cancer cell.  It's a molecular/chemical problem.  I suppose that if you consider an anti-tumor antibody linked to a toxic payload as a "machine" of sorts, then we already have them, and cancer isn't a chronic disease quite yet, but I think we're heading in that direction.



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#3 mag1

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Posted 17 September 2014 - 09:39 PM

Yes, cancer would be treatable with an accurate targeting mechanism.

Scientists have been able to destroy cancer cells in a dish for decades.
The problem that has taken decades to solve is how to destroy only cancer cells
and leave healthy cells alone. Current cancer chemotherapy treatment can lead
to serious side effects.

If cancer cells could be precisely targeted with chemotherapy and other interventions
(e.g. siRNA, or shRNA (to knock down resistance), then cancer would be a curable illness.

Enegneic has developed minicells that with bi-specific antibodies can target cancer and deliver
chemotherapeutic drugs to the cancer. Mice were cured using minicells using thousands
of times less medication than would be used without targeting.

This approach is being developed in human clinical trials. Initial results have been encouraging.
However, one problem has been the bacterial coat of the minicell. This has caused some side effects.

Ideally, a cell similar to a minicell, though without the inflammatory response, might be developed
that would be even more effective.

However, minicells appear to be a promising technology.





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