Tag Archives: technology advancement for cancer

Innovative Research Aims to Snatch Cancer Cells by Magnetism and Nanoparticles

Innovative Research Aims to Snatch Cancer Cells by Magnetism and Nanoparticles
Innovative Research Aims to Snatch Cancer Cells by Magnetism and Nanoparticles

The more precise diagnostic methods are, the more effective immunotherapy for cancer can be. In a case of “opposites attract,” scientists recently took a giant step toward improved diagnostics with the principles of magnetism.

Putting a “Charge” in Cancer Cells

Liquid biopsy is a cancer screening technique in which blood is drawn from a patient and tested for circulating tumor cells, or CTCs. Unfortunately, CTCs are so few and far between that the blood sample may be completely free of them, resulting in a false diagnosis.

In a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, a team of researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine tested a group of pigs with CTCs in their bloodstream.

– The CTCs were first tagged with a nanoparticle containing magnetic properties.

– In the next step, a small wire was inserted near the pig’s ear in a vein that is comparable to the ones in a human arm.

– As the tagged tumor cells drifted by, the magnetic pull caused them to stick to the wire, which was then removed from the vein.

What’s Next?

Not only did the magnetic method detect 10 to 80 times more CTCs than a typical liquid biopsy, it found 500 to 5,000 more tumor cells than an earlier wire-based model. Dr. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir of Stanford expressed hope that the wire device could have applications for cancer treatment as well as diagnosis.

Thorough and Non-Invasive Diagnostic Procedures at Issels®

Our extensive diagnostic procedures let us create a personalized immunotherapy for cancer program that incorporates a number of complementary methods to treat the tumor along with its environment. Contact us for more information.

Specialized DNA Nanobots Close Cancer Tumor’s Blood Supply

Specialized DNA Nanobots Close Cancer Tumor's Blood Supply
Specialized DNA Nanobots Close Cancer Tumor’s Blood Supply

Robotics has made quite a splash in manufacturing and industrial applications, and now it’s on the brink of a breakthrough in a completely different arena. Future cancer treatment options may include an army of tiny tumor-fighting nanobots.

Biochemistry Meets Industrial Technology

The concept is in the preliminary stages, so real-life use is still far off on the horizon. Scientists are encouraged by the results of a study that was recently published in Nature Biotechnology.

Researchers conducted the test on a group of mice with human breast cancer tumors. Specially engineered DNA nanobots containing a payload of thrombin, an enzyme that causes blood to clot, were then injected intravenously into the affected mice.

Once inside, the nanobots delivered the thrombin directly to tumor-associated blood vessels, where they induced intravascular thrombosis. As a result, cancer cells were deprived of their blood supply and ultimately died off.

Sparing Healthy Cells

While scientists welcome any advancement in cancer treatment, one particular aspect of DNA nanobots is especially promising. During testing on the mice, the nanobots focused exclusively on cancer cells. There was no damage to healthy cells, unlike results often found in traditional cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.

Issels®: The Leader in Personally Designed Cancer Treatment Programs

Our founder, Dr. Josef M. Issels, was a visionary in the field of immunotherapy for cancer. We’re proud to carry on his legacy by offering non-toxic treatment programs that are individually tailored to meet each patient’s unique needs.

Contact us to learn more about our core treatment protocols and how we have helped patients with advanced and therapy-resistant cancers achieve long-term remission.

New Medications Inhibit Cancer Cloaking by IDO Enzyme

New Medications Inhibit Cancer Cloaking by IDO Enzyme
New Medications Inhibit Cancer Cloaking by IDO Enzyme

 Cancer treatment research often focuses on destroying the defenses that prevent the immune system from attacking tumor cells. A promising new immunotherapy drug works by disabling one of these protective enzymes.

Disabling Cancer’s Protective Shield

IDO is an enzyme that shields a fetus from the mother’s immune system, which would perceive the fetus as an infection. During the early 2000s, researchers in Belgium discovered that tumors also express IDO, depriving T-cells of tryptophan, an amino acid that fuels T-cells.

Incyte, a small firm in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first to develop epacadostat, a drug that suppresses production of IDO. The company presented their findings, including results of the first meaningful trial in treating lung cancer, at last June’s meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

The Medical Community Reacts

According to Vamil Divan, an analyst at Credit Suisse, Incyte’s impressive presentation generated major interest in doctors and investors alike. Incyte also confirmed earlier research that successfully paired epacadostat with Keytruda, another immunotherapy drug, without a significant increase in side effects.

Approval of the combined epacadostat-Keytruda cancer treatment is pending results of a final trial, expected sometime next year. Merck and Bristol-Myers, two of Incyte’s initial collaborators, are working on development of their own IDO inhibitors.

Issels®: Pioneers of Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment

IDO inhibitors are just the latest development in the field of immunotherapy, which boosts the power of your own immune system to fight cancer. Contact us to learn why Issels® has been in the forefront of using state-of-the-art immunotherapy to achieve long-term remission in patients of all ages with all forms of cancer.

University Researchers Show How Wearable Technology Can Fight Cancer

Can Wearable Technology Change How Cancer is Fought?
Can Wearable Technology Change How Cancer is Fought?

Wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers have been at the forefront of the latest wave of technology. Thanks to researchers at the University of Southern California, wearable technology could be the next step in more effective cancer treatment.

Cancer Moonshot Launches ATOM-HP

“South by South Lawn” (SXSL) is a White House-based festival patterned after the ground-breaking SXSW annual event in Austin, TX. SXSL gathers and celebrates innovators and visionaries who are creating ways to improve lives, both domestically and globally.

The USC project, called Analytical Technologies to Objectively Measure Human Performance (ATOM-HP), is part of the Cancer Moonshot initiative started by Vice President Joe Biden. ATOM-HP uses wearable devices to provide doctors with real-time data that was previously unavailable.

The ATOM-HP Difference

Even during cancer treatment, doctors and patients have only sporadic contact. Decisions are based on the doctor’s observations and self-reporting by the patient, which can result in an incomplete picture of the illness. ATOM-HP lets the doctor “see” effects of treatment and its impact on the patient’s everyday life.

As explained by Jorge Nieva, co-lead on ATOM-HP, the process humanizes treatment by allowing doctors to observe patients beyond the controlled confines of the hospital or clinic. Nieva refers to it as a “safety net for patients” who may be struggling with cancer treatments.

Co-lead Peter Kuhn stressed the importance of ATOM-HP for cancer research. Instead of relying on previously collected data, researchers will have the benefit of real-time information.

Personalized, Non-Toxic Immunotherapy for Cancer

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