New cancer treatment, clinical trials begins in Japan

New progress in humanity.

The modern age has overcome many diseases due to medical progress. The average life expectancy increased significantly last few decades, but still, mankind confronting cancer.

At IBM 's Web media infinity, a completely new treatment for cancer was introduced. It is a very dreamlike treatment method than anything, the burden on the patient is low, at a low cost, a breakthrough effect can be expected.

This new cancer treatment called " photoimmunotherapy ", and Professor Toshihiko Doi, deputy director of the National Cancer Research Center East Hospital.

According to Doi , when he first learned this therapy, seems to have had such an impact as to think that such a thing can really exist, but now There are new options different from conventional treatment methods for patients It seems that it is enough to be sure that you can do it.

In a nutshell, Light Immunotherapy, killing by irradiation with near infrared rays to cancer cells. To antibodies that bind to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), which is highly expressed in cancer cells, a substance that reacts only when hit by near-infrared light is bound, and the intravenous drip is administered in the same manner as usual treatment, It is to bind antibodies.

This method seems to have the advantage that cells which do not absorb light have no obstruction. The burden on the patient side is reduced, and the amount of antibody to be used is only about one-tenth of the conventional amount.

Furthermore, as this therapy becomes widespread, there seems to be a possibility of bringing a future beyond surgical operations such as laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery. For example, if surgical risk is high, this treatment can be selected as an option.

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