Nanotherapy may replace chemotherapy or radiation in cancer treatment

Scientists are testing new therapy to treat cancer. Now chemotherapy or radiation may be successfully replaced by nanotherapy.

Photo: Nanotherapy may replace chemotherapy or radiation in cancer treatment

The treatment is named after Pennsylvania inventor John Kanzius, a Ham Radio Operator, radio and TV engineer, and involves the influence of nanoparticles upon cancer cells.

To kill cancer cells using Kanzius RF Therapy, cancer cells are first tagged with tiny objects known as nanoparticles, such as SWNTs and GNPs. When the RF (radio frequency) transmitter apparatus exposes the nanoparticles to the radio frequency signal they heat up, destroying the cancer cells, but don't damage healthy cells nearby.

The preliminary research using the Kanzius RF device at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston (by Dr. Steven A. Curley, Professor in Surgical Oncology) and The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (by Dr. David A. Geller, co-director of the Liver Cancer Center ) has shown promising results. If federal approval is granted, testing on human patients would be the next step.

In contrast with currently used radiofrequency ablation where an RF probe (needle) is inserted into or next to a tumor mass, Kanzius' method is noninvasive.

Steven A. Curley, who pioneered the clinical studies that led to FDA approval of radiofrequency ablation to treat unresectable primary and metastatic hepatobiliary malignancies, referred to the method as “one of the most exciting developments in years.”

Kanzius also made it clear that a driving force to coordinate and implement his research was based on seeing cancer-ridden children with little or no hope and desiring to change this for the betterment of all.

The prototype of the device, which was first tested successfully at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center by Klune et al. was built by Kanzius himself in his home.

The preliminary trials with rabbits have turned up a 100% success rate, with the tumors successfully eliminated and the rabbits remaining unharmed. It also turned out that the cancerous cells died within approximately 48 hours.