Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
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Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#2The real question is always "but how good is it at killing non-cancer cells?" A bullet fired from a gun would be great at killing cancer cells too.
Although in this case it seems like it's just an alternative to surgery, rather than a cancer cure? Just a way of vibrating cells in a certain location to death?
Does anybody who actually understands medicine know if this is a great breakthrough or not?
Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#3The real question is always "but how good is it at killing non-cancer cells?" A bullet fired from a gun would be great at killing cancer cells too. Although in this case it seems like it's just an alternative to surgery, rather than a cancer cure? Just a way of vibrating cells in a certain location to death? Does anybody who actually understands medicine know if this is a great breakthrough or not?
Every single cancer treatment is about destroying cancer cells. Given the clickbait level of the headline it's clear that it is not worth clicking.
Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#4The real question is always "but how good is it at killing non-cancer cells?" A bullet fired from a gun would be great at killing cancer cells too. Although in this case it seems like it's just an alternative to surgery, rather than a cancer cure? Just a way of vibrating cells in a certain location to death? Does anybody who actually understands medicine know if this is a great breakthrough or not?
If I understood it correctly, the "hammers" seek (or are coupled with a system that attach mainly to) the cancer cells, so they destroy it later. Looks like a clever system.
Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#5> Near-infrared light can go as deep as 10 centimeters (~ 4 inches) into the human body.
This attribute of the infrared light is key to treating cancer anywhere in the human body with this method. As long as the patient is not obese, I assume 10 centimeters of penetration depth are enough to reach any part of the body.
Penetration depth and the precision of the desired effect is something that is very important in radiation therapy as well. With radiation therapy you basically shoot small particles at the cancer cells but you also damage surroundings if you don't aim precisely enough. Dependig on the depth of the cancer cells inside the body, different particles are used. The amount of damage the particles deal depends on physical effects. Photons deal most of the damage on the surface. More heavy particles like alpha particles deal most of the damage once they are slowed down inside the body. (See Bragg peak https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bragg_peak ).
Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#6The real question is always "but how good is it at killing non-cancer cells?" A bullet fired from a gun would be great at killing cancer cells too. Although in this case it seems like it's just an alternative to surgery, rather than a cancer cure? Just a way of vibrating cells in a certain location to death? Does anybody who actually understands medicine know if this is a great breakthrough or not?
These chemicals were used to detect cancer cells by coloring them. Now it seems that they don't only color specifically, but with the help of infrared light they can even destroy.
As far as I know these coloring chemicals are very specific for cancer types. This means perhaps they are a cure but not for all cancer types. Or the chemicals are poisonous and typically only used on biopsies. Or they are not specific enough. I don't know. We will see whether it is THE miraculous cure. I am afraid not, but let's hope.
EDIT: let's cite:
> Aminocyanine molecules are already used in bioimaging as synthetic dyes. Commonly used in low doses to detect cancer, they stay stable in water and are very good at attaching themselves to the outside of cells.
Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#7The real question is always "but how good is it at killing non-cancer cells?" A bullet fired from a gun would be great at killing cancer cells too. Although in this case it seems like it's just an alternative to surgery, rather than a cancer cure? Just a way of vibrating cells in a certain location to death? Does anybody who actually understands medicine know if this is a great breakthrough or not?
I am not a biologist but I've known a few in my time;
It is highly unlikely there will ever be a singular "cure for cancer" as cancer is a bit of a blanket term given to multiple diseases, however this is a seemingly reasonably good breakthrough in treatment - being able to destroy cancerous cells without exposing the patient to further harm via targeted radiation or harsh chemo drugs (basically targeted poisoning) feels like a win.
If we can break the cells down and let the body's immune system take care of the remnants instead of having to slice someone open, huge win!
Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#8The real question is always "but how good is it at killing non-cancer cells?" A bullet fired from a gun would be great at killing cancer cells too. Although in this case it seems like it's just an alternative to surgery, rather than a cancer cure? Just a way of vibrating cells in a certain location to death? Does anybody who actually understands medicine know if this is a great breakthrough or not?
I had the same question when reading this. They use the light only at places where cancerous cells were found plus some safety margin I guess.
In that sense it's an alternative to surgery.
Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#9The real question is always "but how good is it at killing non-cancer cells?" A bullet fired from a gun would be great at killing cancer cells too. Although in this case it seems like it's just an alternative to surgery, rather than a cancer cure? Just a way of vibrating cells in a certain location to death? Does anybody who actually understands medicine know if this is a great breakthrough or not?
I am not a biologist but I've known a few in my time; It is highly unlikely there will ever be a singular "cure for cancer" as cancer is a bit of a blanket term given to multiple diseases, however this is a seemingly reasonably good breakthrough in treatment - being able to destroy cancerous cells without exposing the patient to further harm via targeted radiation or harsh chemo drugs (basically targeted poisoning) f…
> It is highly unlikely there will ever be a singular "cure for cancer" as cancer is a bit of a blanket term given to multiple diseases,
"It doesn't make sense to say 'cure for cancer.' Cancer is a wide variety of disorders with different manifestations and etiology. It makes as much sense as saying 'a cure for virus'."
Re: Light-induced whole-molecule vibration can rupture melanoma cells’ membrane
#10The real question is always "but how good is it at killing non-cancer cells?" A bullet fired from a gun would be great at killing cancer cells too. Although in this case it seems like it's just an alternative to surgery, rather than a cancer cure? Just a way of vibrating cells in a certain location to death? Does anybody who actually understands medicine know if this is a great breakthrough or not?
It is a long way off clinical application but could potentially be useful for treatment of "in transit" metastases - e.g. multiple metastases spreading from a distal site on a limb and growing on the skin. At the moment these are usually removed surgically or treated with electrochemotherapy. Unlikely to replace conventional treatments such as immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors), targeted inhibitors (BRAF/MEK) or emerging treatments such as personalised mRNA vaccines.
(Lead clinician for the melanoma multidisciplinary team at a major teaching hospital in London for what it's worth)