NANOTECHNOLOGY IN CANCER TREATMENT

What is nanotechnology? INTRODUCTION What is nanotechnology? Nanotechnology is the creation and utilization of materials, devices, and systems through the control of matter on the nanometer-length scale.

Causes for cancer Cancer occurs when cells begin to multiply more rapidly than usual and tumors or malignant growths of tissue are formed. Cancer is caused by damage of genes which control the growth and division of cells.

Why we go for nanotechnology? Conventional treatment options of cancer: Surgery Radiation therapy Chemotherapy

SURGERY Remove the cancerous part. Limitations: One loses the organ and the cancer may appear again. The surgery is not possible for all types of cases of the cancer.

radiation therapy Cancerous cells are burnt by radiation of specific frequency band and the intensity. Limitation: Even the healthy cells get burnt and cancerous cell burning is not uniform.

CHEMOTHERAPY Cancerous cells are killed by drugs toxic to cells . Limitation: Rarely successful if the cancer is in advanced stage.

Advantages of nanotechnology in cancer treatment NP size:few nm Cell size:few microns Can be used to create therapeutic agents that target specific cells and deliver toxin to kill them.

Early detection of cancer: Nanocrystals Quantum dots Nanoparticles

Visualizing tumors: Imaging Fig :Semiconductor quantum dots with electronic and size-tunable optical properties.

Drug delivery to cancer cells: RNA based targeting moieties can be attached to nanoparticles.

Different targeting strategies for nanoscale drug delivery systems Passive targeting Active targeting

Passive targeting

Active targeting Active targeting is usually achieved by conjugating to the nanoparticle a targeting component that provides preferential accumulation of nanoparticles in the tumorbearing organ.

Cancer biomarkers Any biomolecules or analytical features associated with a disease or its behavior. Include altered or mutant genes,RNAs,proteins,lipids etc.

Tools of Nanotechnology in cancer treatment: Cantilevers

Nanopores Allow DNA to pass through one strand at a time hence DNA sequencing can be made more efficient. Nanotubes Smaller than nanopores &help identify DNA changes assoc. with cancer.

Nanoshells NS are miniscale beads coated with gold. NS can be linked to antibodies that recognize cancer cells.

Dendrimer Has the potential to link treatment with detection and diognostic.

Future scope conclusion To develop nanoscale devices that may lead to detection of the earliest stages of cancer while simultaneously delivering anticancer agents to the tumor. Further studies are focused on expanding the selection of drugs to deliver novel nanoparticle vectors. conclusion Nanotechnology will radically change the way we diagnose, treat and prevent cancer to help meet the goal of eliminating suffering and death from cancer.

References 1. www.howstuffworks.com 2. www.ehow.com 3. www.worldscibooks.com

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