Can Nanotechnology Revolutionise Cancer Medicine?

Better Treatments, Better Therapy, Less Harm

By Benjamin Maclaren | 20 May 2018

This opinion piece article was written as part of the Science Politics course at the Centre for Public Awareness of Science

Cancer is a illness that most of us know only too well or eventually will, whether through our own personal experience or from our parents, grandparents or friends.

There are over seven hundred different cancers, the most common being lung cancer followed by colorectal cancer, breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer, with 367 new diagnosis of cancer per day.

As time has gone on, the survival rates over a 5 year period of those diagnosed with cancer has been increasing, in 1984–1988 it was 48% whilst from 2008–2013 that has risen to 68%, in 2010 cancer accounted for 3 out of 10 deaths in australia, this gives hope to the decreasing incidence rates of varieties of cancer.

Cancer therapies and treatments are set for a revolution over the next few years through Nanomedicine; an incredible field of science that uses nanotechnology like biotechnology, genetic engineering and nanorobots to prevent disease, diagnose illness, relieve pain and improve human health.

When doctors have access to medical nanorobots, diagnosing and curing most diseases and mending our bodies will be an easy task. Currently, most cancer therapies use surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to stop cancer, however, all three have a high risk of damaging healthy tissue or just not working successfully, it is akin to wacking cells with a hammer and hoping the bad ones die.

Nanomedicine makes working with the human body a more natural and friendly process, we are made up of molecules and cells, so we need to be able to work with the body at its molecular and cellular level.

Thankfully, with Nanotechnology we can target therapies directly and selectively against cancer cells and enhance the effect whilst reducing the risks associated with chemotherapy. The key to surviving a lot of cancers is early detection, this is why we see ads for regular testing for cervical, prostate and breast cancers.

There are a number of key areas of nanomedical research that are showing to be beneficial to the ongoing fight against cancer.

Nano Flares are a nanoparticle currently being tested for cancer detection, they are specifically designed to bind to cancer cells and generate light, this allows precise detection of cancer cells throughout the body in particular throughout the bloodstreams. [5]

In the same way, we have billions of computers with some computers being better as a TV or Phone or Microwave, Nanoparticles to will be designed for different patients or methods.

Nano drugs can be specifically designed to release drugs at targeted cells or location and then breakdown naturally after their job is done leaving healthy cells unharmed. [5]

The chip on the right measures protein levels in a patient’s blood through cancer therapy to gauge how the therapy is going. Continuous monitoring through therapy allows for improved treatment and changes throughout treatment.

One of the most versatile aspects of nanomedicine is the concept of a Lab-on-a-chip (LOCs), these are chips that miniaturise one or more lab processes onto a single electronic like circuit. Most often only a few millimetres or centimetres in size, the protein measuring chip above is one example. LOCs have the potential to allow quick and accurate diagnostics of cancers and disease without requiring full lab support making them ideal for third world countries and onsite testing.

The progress and rapid development of nanotechnology is exciting with the capability for it to improve the diagnoses, detection and survival of cancers. We must spur on the research and development into the new nanotechnology solutions that gives immense hope to the thousands of people suffering each day and the days to come.