Light is soon to become a revolutionary tool in cancer treatment as scientists have developed a form of photoimmunotherapy (light therapy) to destroy microscopic cancer cells.
This is a breakthrough discovery as it can help surgeons to target particular areas. Experts think light therapy will become the fifth major cancer treatment. As of now, cancer patients are relying on surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy to get rid of the abnormal cells.
According to The Guardian, light therapy forces cancerous cells to glow in the dark. This will allow doctors to remove tumours more effectively. Researchers also found that the treatment can trigger an immune response that can prepare the body to fight off cancer cells in the future.
The trial led by the Institute of Cancer Research in London was conducted on mice with an aggressive type of brain cancer. It was observed that surgeons could spot and remove even the smallest cancer cells.
The existing treatments do not allow surgeons to identify every cancerous cell in the area. This leads to a higher risk of relapse as some cancer is still left in the body after the treatment. Light therapy will kill the remaining cancer cells within minutes after the surgery.
Scientists have used a special kind of fluorescent dye with a cancer-targeting compound. It is later activated by a near-infrared light to trigger an anti-tumour effect.
The light therapy will be more useful in brain cancers like glioblastoma that are hard to treat due to the location of the tumour, said team leader Dr Gabriela Kramer to The Guardian. The new form of treatment was developed by a European team of engineers, physicists, neurosurgeons, biologists, and immunologists from the UK, Poland, and Sweden.