Scottish scientists have successfully tested a drug that can kill cancer cells without damaging nearby healthy tissue, according to Evening Standard.
Report informs citing RIA Novosti that scientists at the University of Edinburgh have combined the tiny cancer-killing molecule SeNBD with a chemical food compound to force malignant cells to 'swallow' it. Cancer cells are 'greedy' and need more food for energy, and usually absorb more than healthy cells. According to the University of Edinburgh, the combination of SeNBD with a chemical food-grade compound becomes ideal prey for harmful cells that consume it unaware of its toxicity, the newspaper writes.
It notes that the SeNBD molecule is a photosensitizer - it kills cells only in the light.
This means that the surgeon can determine when to activate the drug, which reduces the chances of damage to healthy tissue and the likelihood of side effects such as hair loss.
SeNBD is one of the smallest photosensitizers ever created. Its use as a Trojan horse opens up many new possibilities in interventional medicine to destroy malignant cells without affecting the surrounding healthy tissue, according to leading scientist Mark Wendrell.