New technique: Give cancer cells luminescent inside to help surgeons remove

A new medical discovery related to the support of cancer treatment is receiving medical attention.

There is a fact that, when it comes to removing tumors, cancer cells, surgeons must use all means to see with their eyes to determine and remove them. However, one problem is that cancer cells are always fluctuating, even some very small, latent ones after cells, malignant tumors have destroyed to find their way into new tumors. . This has hindered and made it more or less difficult in medicine.

New technique: Give cancer cells luminescent inside to help surgeons remove Picture 1

Faced with this situation, researchers at the University of Michigan Technology (MTU) have recently invented a new technique to make those tumors glow. This will help the doctor easily identify and fully control and thereby remove more completely.

This technique developed by Haiying Liu, a chemistry professor at MTU, is based on a current medical mechanism that uses cancer antibodies covered by enzymes to cover cancer tumors. .

The new compound, known as beta-galactocidase , has the ability to cause cancer cells to adhere to this compound, which can glow under infrared light.

Scientists from MTU said that this marked compound is completely non-toxic, has low concentration, works stably for a long time, so it can support surgeons even cases. surgery lasts for many hours.

New technique: Give cancer cells luminescent inside to help surgeons remove Picture 2

When injecting this beta-galactocidase compound into the body, under infrared light, other unrelated cells and tissues can emit green light, however, with cancer cells it will emit Red light indicates a dangerous level of cells to destroy.

So far, Liu and his team have also carried out beta-galactocidase wrappings around a cell in the lab to continue further research. The next step is that they will study with medical experts which is the best extension solution to be able to apply immediately to the actual surgery in the future.

However, this is not the first time we have heard of using glowing substances to identify cancer cells. Previously, researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) developed a compound called naphthalocyanine that not only brightens cancer cells for surgeons to identify but also can heated helps to kill that cancer cell. In addition, the team also informed about a new technique called graphene quantum dots , which is being investigated in the hope that someday cancerous tumors in the body will be Brightens the whole body.

As Liu said: " Doctors want to eliminate all malignant cells of different types of cancer, but identifying and controlling them is extremely difficult. We want to help with the treatment and surgery. Their skills will be easier with new techniques in the future . '

The study has just been published in the journal Analytic Chimica Acta.