Emily Chan
“[The drug delivery system] seeks out the DNA exhaust floating around tumors, which means they can track down tumors even if the tumors are missing specific surface receptors and are invisible to other more conventional antibodies,” said James Hansen, the lead author of the study.
The method can be used to treat several different types of cancer since the molecules are targeted toward cancer activity instead of specific surface molecules.
It also demonstrates much potential for the treatment of brain tumors, which are reputed for being difficult to treat due to the blood-brain barrier. The researchers are working on getting the treatment tested in a clinical laboratory setting.
The study can be found in the journal Central Science from the American Chemical Society.
