European experts develop new cancer treatment method; trial shows promising results

Making a significant advancement in the field of cancer treatment, experts from different disciplines joined forces to develop a new kind of tumour-removing technique. Named photoimmunotherapy, this method uses light to make cancer cells grow in the dark, allowing doctors to remove those cells.

According to The Guardian, this light-activated therapy has been developed by a team composed of European engineers, physicists, neurosurgeons, biologists and immunologists and was recently tested in mice with glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer.

How does photoimmunotherapy work?

This form of therapy deploys lasers which lights the tumour in the cancerous region and allow the removal of cells more than what is possible through other forms of therapy. Currently, there are four types of cancer treatment-  surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy - and collaborators of the recent trial are confident of that photoimmunotherapy will be the fifth. In the new treatment, scientists use engineered protein molecules called 'affibodies'. These affibodies are then combined with a fluorescent molecule called IR700 and injected into the mice. 

Inside the mice, the molecular compound went on to bind with a target protein called EGFR with high precision. In the next step, the experts shined a laser light on the compound which caused the dye to glow, enabling doctors to remove the highlighted cancer cells. Following this, the laser was switched to near-infrared which triggered anti-tumour activity and killed the remaining cells. 

Results of the trial

During the trial led by the Institute of Cancer Research in London, mice with glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer, were used. When exposed to photoimmunotherapy, the scientists found that this method lit up even the tiniest of cancer cells. The remaining cells that were left behind were wiped out after the surgery was complete. Interestingly, the experts also discovered that this form of therapy could make the immune system target the same cancer cells, suggesting protection from glioblastoma in the future. 

"Brain cancers like glioblastoma can be hard to treat and, sadly, there are too few treatment options for patients", Gabriela Kramer-Marek, the lead researcher told The Guardian. "Surgery is challenging due to the location of the tumours, and so new ways to see tumour cells to be removed during surgery, and to treat residual cancer cells that remain afterwards, could be of great benefit," she added. 

Charles Evans, the research information manager at Cancer Research UK, said that the new treatment method could help people live longer after cancer treatment. He, however, added that has to overcome some technical challenges.