Source: Agencia ID
There are over a hundred types of brain cancer. The most common and deadly one worldwide is glioblastoma, which occurs predominantly in the cerebral hemispheres, but can manifest in the spinal cord. With very few treatment options in the world, a group of Mexican scientists are investigating alternative using cultures in carbon nanotubes.
The research was conducted at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery ‘Manuel Velasco Suárez’ (INNN). The group of scientists put donated glioblastoma cells in carbon nanotubes; then they apply several mechanisms, one of which is cell death.
“With a specific mechanism we would be programming selective cells death, and it has worked in the cultures phase. We will move to its application in animal models. In the country we cannot include research in patients, while in the US and the European Community they can,” explains Dr. Alberto Gonzalez Aguilar INNN.
Carbon nanotubes are allotropes of carbon with a cylindrical nanostructure. These cylindrical carbon molecules have nanoscale diameters and their length measured in micros, with length-to-diameter ratio of up to 132 million to 1. They have unusual mechanical, electrical, optical and thermal properties, making them valuable for nanotechnology, electronics, optics and other fields of materials science and technology.
Generally, says Dr. Gonzalez Aguilar, pathology occurs in adults over 50 years old. Although symptoms are difficult to identify, patients present changes in behavior and slow walk. It is characterized by seizures and language deterioration.
The researcher explains that since the first described cases of this cancer last century to date, there has been little impact on the advancement of treatments, since the central nervous system is complicated and drugs do not pass freely, as there is a blood barrier involved.
“The problem is that the brain tumor cannot be removed completely through surgery, sometimes not even half. For example, if the tumor is in the left temporal lobe, where language is generated, removing it would leave the patient speechless, and we wonder: would it worth it? ”
The tumor is aggressive, resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Also, there are very few drugs to treat it, and half of them are not in Mexico, adds Dr. Gonzalez Aguilar
If surgery is carried out, medical protocol indicates that radiation treatments continue. The patient would have a “stable” life of approximately 14 months. Although, successful cases have been reported; 10 percent of patients achieve a survival rate of five years on average.
For this reason, the research challenge is prolonging the patient’s life in acceptable condition. For now, the treatment used for this type of tumor is Bevacizumab plus radiotherapy-Temozolomide for newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
Source: Agencia ID
