This new therapy depend on a two pronged approach. Titanium dioxide is a versatile photoreactive nanomaterial that can be bonded with biomolecules. Nanoparticles recognise and bind specifically to cancer cells when it is linked to an antibody. Focused visible light is shined onto the affected region, and the localized titanium dioxide reacts to the light by creating free oxygen radicals that interact with the mitochondria in the cancer cells. Mitochondria act as cellular energy plants, and when free radicals interfere with their biochemical pathways, mitochondria receive a signal to start cell death.

With this method it is possible to effectively attack the cancer which invade surrounding healthy cells using titanium dioxide unlike other cancer treatments like  radiotherapy and chemotherapy. But so far the tests have been done only on cells in a laboratory setting, animal testing is yet to be done and is planned for the next phase. Results show an almost 100 percent cancer cell toxicity rate after six hours of illumination, and 80 percent after 48 hours  and also other types of  cancers can be cured as well using different targeting molecules, but research is in the early stages.

Reffed form http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl901610f

Wounds made in mice stomatches healed without scarring the tissue when the researchteam applied sheets to incisions. Findings were published in the journal Advanced Materials. Shinji Takeoka, professor in the Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience at Waseda University said, “This new approach would constitute a perfect candidate for an alternative to conventional suture/ligation procedures, from the perspective not only of a minimally invasivesurgical technique but it can also reduce the operation times,” The nanosheets which is only about 20 nanometers in thickness could be used for general wound dressing, but will also be very useful in endoscopic surgery, plasticsurgery  and regenerative medicine. Clinical trials could still be several years away.

Courtesy : http://www.plasticsurgerypractice.com/eReport/2009-08-17_05.asp

Gene therapy with the aid of nanotechnology  can cure ovarian cancer, experiment conducted by US Researchers was able to deliver tiny synthetic particles carrying a payload of toxin worked as well as chemotherapy at killing ovarian cancer in mice without side effects. The  highlights of the study is the potential of nanotechnology in the design and manipulation of tiny synthetic particles, as a non viral way of getting DNA into cells, in the past there were interesting success with viruses but there are some safety concerns with Viruses. When they injected the treatment into the abdominal cavity of animals with ovarian cancer, it worked as well or better than the traditional chemotherapy drug combination of cisplatin and paclitaxel, which can cause DNA damage and a variety of side effects.

The Scientists tested different compounds until they found a biodegradable polymer that made a suitable delivery vehicle.To form the nanoparticle, the polymers are mixed with a gene that produces a modified form of the diphtheria toxin which is harmful only to ovarian cancer cells.

Use of nanotechnology for delivering drugs to cure ovarian cancer in humans is still have to be tested, researchers are planning to conduct test in humans within a year. if this test work it will be a promise for a new treatment for ovarian cancer, which kills thousands of woman all around the world.

The “trojan horse” therapy has the potential to directly target cancer cells with chemotherapy, rather than the current treatment that sees chemotherapy drugs injected into a cancer patient and attacking both cancer and healthy cells.