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UV light offers ray of hope for cancer sufferers
Patients with some types of cancer could soon be treated by a few minutes of light therapy, following a breakthrough by British scientists
Researchers at Newcastle University have developed drugs which are only switched on when bathed in ultraviolet light. This means that they can be targeted more precisely at cancer tumours and avoid damaging healthy tissue, according to a study published in the journal ChemMedChem.
‘I would describe this development as the equivalent of ultra-specific magic bullets,’ said Professor Colin Self, lead author of the study.
The magic bullets are in fact antibodies - which are already known to have huge potential in the fight against cancer - cloaked in a special oil. This oil stops the antibodies from working until activated by UV rays. Doctors inject the special antibodies into the bloodstream, and then direct UV light on to the parts of the body where the tumour is located. The antibodies then become active and bind to T-cells - part of the body's immune system - triggering an attack by the T-cells on the surrounding tissue that kills the tumour.
This new technique should reduce unpleasant side effects caused by powerful anti-cancer drugs circulating throughout the body, as happens with some current treatments.
‘This opens up so many possible applications’, says Professor Self. ‘For example, for patients who are undergoing surgery for prostate cancer. After the surgeon has removed the bulk of a tumour, the patient could then be injected with antibodies and a light shone at the affected area which would target the patient’s own immune system to the tumour site.’
The treatment should also be effective against tumours close to the skin, like malignant melanoma, and those accessible by a light probe, like bladder cancer.
‘Developing treatments that attack cancer cells but leave healthy tissue unharmed is the holy grail of cancer research. Although at a very early stage, this new approach has potential, and we await the outcome of further research with interest,’ said Josephine Querido, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK.
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