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New highly-targeted cancer treatment shows promise, but only for mice
07 November 2011
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A new cancer treatment has been developed that combines highly-targeted antibodies with light therapy, according to the journal Nature Medicine.
The treatment, called photoimmunotherapy, uses antibodies combined with a light-sensitive chemical (IR700). The antibodies are able to seek out specific cancerous cells and attach to them. A laser or other light source can then be used to activate the light-sensitive chemical to destroy the cancer cells.
The treatment was tested in mice that were implanted with cancerous tumours implanted. The scientists found that photoimmunotherapy reduced the size of the tumours when compared with mice who didn’t receive any treatment. They also found that the treated mice lived longer than those who received no treatment.
The scientists hope that this highly-selective therapy will lead to treatments that target and destroy only cancerous cells and not healthy tissue, unlike many current cancer treatments. They also suggest that it may be used as a monitoring and diagnostic tool for people with cancer.
Dr Virginia Warren, Assistant Medical Director for Bupa, commented: “Biological cancer therapies that use antibodies to target cancer cells and photodynamic therapy (light therapy) have been used separately with some success for several years. Bringing both therapies together as one treatment is an interesting concept and the results are encouraging.
“However, we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that this treatment has so far only been carried out in mice; no human trials have taken place yet. The researchers' work shows that this approach is worth more time and effort. Even if everything goes smoothly with its further research and development it is still several years away from being a feasible cancer treatment.”
Key facts
Current cancer treatments
- Chemotherapy is used to stop cancer cells dividing and reproducing. Your healthy cells can repair the damage caused by chemotherapy, but cancer cells can’t and eventually die.
- Radiotherapy works by destroying the DNA inside cancer cells, preventing them from reproducing and so shrinking cancerous tumours. Normal cells will also be affected but they are better able to repair themselves.
- Surgery is often used to remove the tumour and other tissue around the tumour where the cancer may have spread.
- Biological therapies, also known as immunotherapy, use substances that stimulate your body to attack or control the growth of cancer cells. There are several different types of treatment, such as monoclonal antibodies, cancer growth inhibitors, vaccines and gene therapy.
- Hormone therapy works by altering the production or activity of the hormones in your body. For example, the hormone, oestrogen, can affect the growth of breast cancer cells. Taking medicines that block these hormones can treat some kinds of breast cancer.
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses laser or other light sources, with a light-sensitive chemical to destroy cancer cells.
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Read the study
Mitsunaga M,Ogawa M, Kosaka N, et al. Cancer cell–selective in vivo near infrared photoimmunotherapy targeting specific membrane molecules. Nature Medicine 2011; online first. doi:10.1038/nm.2554
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