Platinum and Blue Light Combine to Combat Cancer
Date: 30.12.2010
New research led by the University of Warwick has found a way to use blue light to activate what could be a highly potent platinum-based cancer treatment.
Research led by the University of Warwick, along with researchers from Ninewells Hospital Dundee, and the University of Edinburgh, have found a new light-activated platinum-based compound that is up to 80 times more powerful than other platinum-based anti-cancer drugs and which can use "light activation" to kill cancer cells in a much more targeted way than similar treatments.
We believe that photoactivated platinum complexes will make it possible to treat cancers that have previously not reacted to chemotherapy with platinum complexes," says Sadler. "Tumors that have developed resistance to conventional platinum drugs could respond to these complexes and with less side-effects."
Original Paper:
Nicola J. Farrer, Julie A. Woods, Luca Salassa, Yao Zhao, Kim S. Robinson, Guy Clarkson, Fiona S. Mackay, Peter J. Sadler. A Potent Trans-Diimine Platinum Anticancer Complex Photoactivated by Visible Light. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2010; 49 (47): 8905 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201003399
Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101209101503.htm
