Gel-like, radioactive tumor implant obliterates pancreatic cancer in mice
In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown that a gel-like, radioactive implant can obliterate pancreatic cancer in mice.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of cancer. The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just 7 percent, and the majority of patients die within a year of diagnosis.
There are currently no effective treatments for pancreatic cancer, and the disease is notoriously difficult to detect early.
The Stanford researchers hope that their gel-like, radioactive implant could one day provide a new treatment option for pancreatic cancer patients.
The gel-like implant is made of a biodegradable polymer and is loaded with a radioactive isotope. The implant is injected directly into the tumor.
Once in place, the implant releases its radioactivity, killing the cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
In the study, the researchers tested the gel-like implant in mice with pancreatic cancer.
They found that the implant was able to completely eliminate the tumor in all of the mice that received it.
What’s more, the implant also appeared to have a preventative effect, stopping the progression of cancer in mice that did not yet have a tumor.
The researchers believe that the gel-like implant could one day be used to treat pancreatic cancer in humans.
The next step is to test the implant in clinical trials.
If the implant is found to be safe and effective in humans, it could provide a much-needed new treatment option for pancreatic cancer patients.
Pancreatic cancer is a notoriously difficult cancer to treat, with few options available to patients and a very low survival rate. However, researchers at University of Michigan have developed a new treatment that is proving to be very effective in mice.
The treatment involves injecting a gel-like, radioactive substance directly into the tumor. The substance then works to kill the cancer cells, while also causing the tumor to shrink. What’s even more promising is that the treatment appears to be very targeted, meaning that healthy cells are not harmed in the process.
This is a potentially major breakthrough in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and the researchers are now working to develop a form of the treatment that can be used in humans. If successful, this could completely change the prognosis for pancreatic cancer patients, who currently have a very poor outlook.
