As blood flows around the embedded nanoparticles it dissolves the sugar coating and releases the anti-cancer drug, destroying the cancer cells and leaving more healthy cells alive, compared with traditional chemotherapy. Once the nanoparticles have released the drug, the body continues to break down the particles. Within 24 hours, the nanoparticles are out of the bloodstream, and within a few weeks, they have been excreted from the body entirely. Sailor and his colleagues used the nanoparticles to identify skin cancer cells in mice. They have not used them to treat cancer yet, but are currently working on it. Philippe Fauchet, a scientist at the University of Rochester in New York, has developed his own silicon nanoparticles to see tumors, although instead of breaking a large piece of silicon into smaller pieces, he essentially takes small pieces of silicon and makes larger nanoparticles. "The advantage of using silicon is that it is biocompatable," said Fauchet. "The particles dissolve and are excreted by the urinary tract in 30 days. There is no accumulation, like what you get with heavy metals like cadmium." However the silicon nanoparticles are made, it will be a while before they can be used to treat humans, pending approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sailor said the earliest clinical trials could begin within six months, although his team is estimating a more conservative two year-time frame. Related Links: |
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