In the relentless pursuit of a cure for cancer, a collaborative team from Rice University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Texas has achieved a groundbreaking discovery. Their method involves utilizing specific molecules with unique properties to induce powerful vibrations under light stimulation, leading to the eradication of cancer cells.
The researchers found that when near-infrared light stimulates a common dye molecule used in medical imaging, the synchronized vibration of its atoms creates a plasmon. This phenomenon results in the rupture of the cell membrane in cancerous cells, offering a promising avenue for cancer treatment.
Published in Nature Chemistry, the study demonstrated an impressive 99 percent effectiveness of the method against laboratory cultures of human melanoma cells. Notably, half of the mice treated for melanoma tumors became cancer-free following the treatment.
Rice chemist James Tour described the innovation as a “completely new generation of molecular machines” referred to as molecular jackhammers. These nanoscale compounds, equipped with a paddle-like chain of atoms activated by light, penetrate the outer membrane of infectious bacteria, cancer cells, and resistant fungi.
Unlike previous nanoscale drills, the molecular jackhammers operate through a novel mechanism, being over a million times faster in their mechanical movement. They can be activated using near-infrared light, which penetrates much deeper into the human body than visible light without causing tissue damage—a significant advancement in cancer treatment technology.