A recent Science Daily article discussed a new skin cancer treatment that could give patients an alternate option to surgery. A team of researchers at Yale School of Medicine are developing a nanoparticle injection that contains a chemotherapy agent. During the treatment, tumors are injected with polymer-based nanoparticles that are bioadhesive, meaning they bind to tumors long enough to kill a large number of cancer cells.
On top of killing cancer cells, the treatment also contains an agent that stimulates the body’s immune system. The two-pronged approach means the body’s immune system can react against cells that may have escaped the nanoparticles. The injection-based therapy is ideal for patients with other medical conditions who might be poor candidates for surgery. It also means patients can be treated for multiple tumors in a single visit.
