Japanese researchers make cancer cells produce their own anticancer drugs
Japanese researchers have come up with a clever way to make cancer cells produce their own anticancer drugs.
Instead of blasting the whole body with chemotherapy, their method uses carbon monoxide made by the tumor itself to trigger drug production right inside those cancer cells.
The hope is this could mean fewer nasty side effects and more precise treatment.
Researchers' albumin compounds activate inside tumors
The team designed special compounds wrapped in albumin proteins that primarily react in the high-carbon monoxide environment found in tumors.
This reaction creates a toxic substance that can damage cancer cells, leaving healthy ones alone.
Plus, since carbon monoxide sticks to hemoglobin in blood, the drug doesn't form in blood, making this approach even safer.
Next up: testing it out on animals to see if it really works beyond the laboratory.