Initial trials on animal and human cells show cancer cells injected with the nanoparticles had a 100 percent kill rate, without harming any healthy cells. According to the news article clinical trials may start within three years if everything goes well.
Once the cancer cells have been loaded with nanoparticles, a radio frequency generator is activated to cook the cancer cells. Initial trials on animal and human cells showed that the cancer cells injected with the nanoparticles had a 100 percent kill rate, while no healthy cells were harmed. A study in the November 2007 issue of the journal Cancer showed that the cancerous cells died within approximately 48 hours.More details at DailyTech.
A separate study in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology in January 2008 similarly confirmed the test results. Gannon states, "We know it has the potential to work well. It’s just a matter of making the details work."
The biggest challenge is in finding proteins that will bond to cancerous cells and not bond to healthy cells. Curley's team has found a molecule c225, which is FDA approved, and targets cancer cells. Unfortunately c225 can also bond to some healthy cells. Said Curley, "It will depend on the type of cancer and the targeting molecules attached to the nanoparticles."