Australian Scientists have developed a new method for delivering chemotherapy to breast cancer patients via a patch composed of diamonds.
Traditional chemotherapy has always been delivered by drip and has carried some horrific side effects like nausea and hair loss because of the high dose of treatment required with each chemo session. Sometimes the side effects of these cures have been more problematic than the cancer disease to a patient.
Because of the side effects like vomiting and hair loss caused by traditional chemotherapy treatment it has left the patient fighting on too many fronts and slowed down the body's progress towards a cure.
Another side effect of traditional chemotherapy has always been the damage done to the healthy cells in a person's body. In other warfare it would be called 'collateral damage'.
With the use of Nano technology, they have combined the use of small diamond particles with the cancer drug and this is now able to deliver the cancer killing drugs at a slower and more continual basis rather than the heavy hit normally used with chemotherapy drug drip delivery.
By releasing the drug at a slower rate over a period of months, the scientists have found that they need approx. 20% less chemicals to kill the cancer cells while leaving the healthy cells unharmed. This eliminates some side effects like vomiting and hair loss while damaging fewer healthy cells in a person's body allowing for a faster recovery rate overall.
The diamond particles are apparently the ideal transport for the chemical molecules because they are acceptable into the human body without causing damage anywhere and they lend themselves to 'stick ability' for the chemical molecules to cling to.
The diamond patch can be placed anywhere on the body and once again it is proving the fact that diamonds really are a girls best friend!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
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