LONGECITY

Interesting report here: https://www.nature.c...ects_biophysics

 

 

 

While surgery is at the foundation of cancer treatment, its access is limited in low-income countries. Here, we describe development of a low-cost alternative therapy based on intratumoral ethanol injection suitable for resource-limited settings. Although ethanol-based tumor ablation is successful in treating hepatocellular carcinomas, the necessity for multiple treatments, injection of large fluid volumes, and decreased efficacy in treatment of non-capsulated tumors limit its applicability. To address these limitations, we investigated an enhanced ethanol ablation strategy to retain ethanol within the tumor through the addition of ethyl cellulose. This increases the viscosity of injected ethanol and forms an ethanol-based gel-phase upon exposure to the aqueous tumor environment. This technique was first optimized to maximize distribution volume, using tissue-simulating phantoms. Then, chemically-induced epithelial tumors in the hamster cheek pouch were treated. As controls, pure ethanol injections of either four times or one-fourth the tumor volume induced complete regression of 33% and 0% of tumors, respectively. In contrast, ethyl cellulose-ethanol injections of one-fourth the tumor volume induced complete regression in 100% of tumors. These results contribute to proof-of-concept for enhanced ethanol ablation as a novel and effective alternative to surgery for tumor treatment, with relevance to resource-limited settings.

 

Why is there no discussion of this treatment? Small sample size? Because it is a mouse study?

 

Being an FDA approved substance, one would think cancer treatment centers would be jumping at the opportunity to test it. Even if it only improved cancer outcomes by a small percentage, I would think would be worth a try.

its true that alcohol and cigarettes are bad for you in excess but so are they not good for any cell, even the cancerous cell in excess. its such basic logic, i knew that long time ago but its people who believed in antioxidants back then and that they cure everything from having only one hand to having a tumor in your body to the size of the Eiffel tower

The best option is surgery if it has not spread yet. This kind of treatment may accelerate the spread of tumors.

Mind,

 

I work at a major center for treating hepatocellular carcinomas.   

 

I do know there is a range of treatments and they are constantly looking for improvements.  Current options include RFA (radiofrequency ablation) basically burning the tumor, injecting localized chemo into the tumor, injecting radioactive particles to "zap" the tumor (done at some centers, but not the one I work at), as well as resecting just the tumor or liver transplantation. There are probably others but treatment is not my area so I don't pay that close attention.

 

If there is something you wish me to ask I can certainly do that for you.

Edited by Benko, 12 October 2017 - 11:52 PM.