Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Nanomaterials Used in Possible Cancer Cure

Posted by timothy on from the dern-fancy-doodads dept.

Moiche writes "Medical researchers at CalTech and the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles have successfully inhibited cancer growth in mice by wrapping engineered RNA in nanomaterials and introducing them into the bloodstream. Two polymers and a special coating allow the therapeutic RNA to enter the cancer cell and release the therapeutic RNA payload. The new technique has slowed or prevented the development of secondary tumors in lab mice with Ewing's sarcoma. Further testing is planned on humans, and with other cancers. The Diamond Age seems closer, day by day."

3 of 211 comments (clear)

  1. In a perfect world by thundercatslair · · Score: 5, Interesting

    A good friend of mine found out today that she has inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). I would like to belive that a technology like this could help her, but I don't think that she will ever get that chance.

  2. Re:Why is this even necessary? by Short+Circuit · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Well established?"

    I'd like to see your reference...I've never heard of that position.

    --
    tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
  3. There's several catches by PIPBoy3000 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The tricky part is that each individual cancer must have a particular treatment created for it. It's not a generic cancer cure, but rather one that can be targeted against certain very specific types of cancer. They'd need to know exactly what's genetically wrong with the cell in order to cure it.

    Not only that, but if the iRNA sequence not only matches the problem RNA but also a healthy one, you could potentially be interfering with normal gene function. That's why they targeted Ewing's sarcoma, a cancer that "provides a clear and unambiguous target".

    Finally, this doesn't seem to actually cure the cancer, but rather puts it into submission. Think of the cancer cell's nucleus spitting out bogus RNA, only to be chopped up by iRNA that matches it. You'd need to take the treatment essentially forever. Drug companies could make billions.