Biotechnology Club

If there’s one disease that is still ahead of man’s attempts to find a cure for it and still beats all attempts to detect it at the earliest and manage it effectively, it’s cancer. If you’ve seen a loved one die of this terrible affliction, you’re likely to be among those who are praying for the invention of an early diagnostic method that allows you to at least hope for a cure.

Scientists and researchers at the University of Central Florida have found another precious use for the precious yellow metal we call gold – they’re harnessing its properties to improve the detection and diagnosis of cancer. Nanoparticles made from gold are being used to find cancer biomarkers through the process of dynamic light scattering in a process known as nanoDLSAY developed by Professor Qun Huo of the university’s NanoScience Technology Centre. The technology, which not only helps in the early detection of cancer but is also useful in monitoring how well patients recover after surgery, is expected to be available to the diagnostic market in around five years.

There are also reports from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that gold nanorods could be used to destroy cancerous tumors without causing harm to healthy cells as much as possible. Instead of directly using heat to kill the cancer cells, the tiny gold particles absorb energy from near-infra red light and emit it as heat.

And a team of researchers at the University of San Diego, California, have made a medical breakthrough with the invention of the nanoscale quantum dot particle which, because of their ability to glow brightly, allow doctors to study internal organs more effectively. The quantum dot is exceptionally helpful because of its non-toxic properties and because it can be used to deliver anti-cancer drugs before breaking up into harmless by-products inside the body.

While these improvements in diagnostic and treatment methods for cancer are not in any way going to diminish or decrease the occurrence and incidence of this deadly disease, there is no doubt that the earlier cancer is detected, the higher the chances of survival and the better the quality of life for the patient.

This article is written by Kat Sanders, who regularly blogs on the topic of radiography schools at her blog The Heath Tech’s Blog. She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: katsanders25@gmail.com.