Author: Nilanjana Chakraborty
Nanotechnology is like working with really tiny things, as small as atoms and molecules. This has brought about new ways to help in medicine, especially in treating cancer. This technology could change the way we find and treat cancer, making it easier to deal with the problems that usual treatments have.
Nanoparticles have a number of uses when it comes to cancer treatment. Nanoparticles can carry the anti-cancer medicines directly to the cancer cells and target them. In the process, they don’t harm the other cells, which reduces the side effects for the patient to a considerable extent, and it also makes the treatment more effective.
For instance, liposomes, tiny spherical vesicles, have been used to deliver drugs directly to cancer cells. Doxil, a liposomal form of the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin, was the first nanodrug approved by the FDA for cancer treatment.
How are the nanoparticles created and the drugs delivered to the cancer cells?
These are the steps followed:
1. First, the nanoparticles are created. They could be made from a metal, polymer, or lipid. Other appropriate biological materials can also be used.
2. The size of the nanoparticle is then determined. They should be between 1 to 100 nm in size. The smaller the particles, the better because smaller particles penetrate the tissues more easily. Since the tumor cells have leaky blood vessels, smaller nanoparticles can get into them better.
3. We can add special features to the surface of the nanoparticles. These features can help the nanoparticles find and stick to cancer cells.
4. We then put the medicine into the nanoparticles. This could be a traditional chemotherapy drug, a gene therapy vector, a radioactive isotope for radiotherapy, or other therapeutic agents.
5. Since some cancer cells can resist drugs, these nanoparticles deliver the medicine directly to the cells, bypassing the systems the cancer cells use to resist them. This makes sure the medicine has maximum positive effect.
How are nanoparticles used for cancer diagnosis?
When used like little light bulbs, Quantum dots can stick to cancer cells in the body and help us diagnose them. They are also nanoparticles. This is used to catch cancer in the early stages.
1. The quantum dots are fitted with special molecules that can bind to the cancer cells. So, when sent into the body, they stick to the cancer cells.
2. When the doctors shine a light on them, the quantum dots sticking to the cancer cells absorb it and light up, marking the cancer cells for the doctors to see. so they work like a highlighter.
Nanotechnology is like a powerful new tool in the world of medicine. By working with really tiny particles, we can create new ways to treat diseases like cancer. These tiny particles, or nanoparticles, can carry medicines straight to cancer cells, making treatment more effective and causing fewer side effects. They can also help doctors find cancer cells earlier, which can make a big difference in treatment.
~ Nilanjana Chakraborty
