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Monday, 5th October 2009 (714 views)

A project to use gold nanoparticles to detect different types of cancer early on could help to reduce invasiveness for the patient, it has been suggested.

Last month, University of Maine professor Michael Mason and his collaborators received a grant to help them develop a system where small gold particles are used to produce cancer-identifying agents that can operate in the pancreas and liver.

Speaking to student newspaper the Maine Campus, the professor said that the funds will help to fine-tune chemistry procedures "to generate a system that is the most biocompatible, generates the best signal and is the least invasive for the patient".

He added that gold is unlike current contrasting agents made of iodine because it can be made biocompatible and therefore reduce the risk of a bad reaction from the patient.

The proposed system works by using gold nanoparticles - which are non-toxic - to scatter X-rays and actively seek out cancer cells to detect early tumours. The process has been successfully tested in mice.

Elsewhere, experts at the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute in Israel have created a sensor using gold nanoparticles to analyse patients' breath for signs of lung cancer, CNET News reports.

 

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