The development of new types of treatment for any disease is not rapid, because new technologies have to undergo a lot of stages before it becomes available to specialists and medical centers. Especially difficult to develop tools for the treatment of cancer and destruction of brain tumors is complicated by the fact that he has a natural barrier of blood-brain barrier, which not all drugs are able to overcome. But if so long to develop new methods, why not improve the old one? Exactly what did experts from the UK, experiencing the particular glowing chemical.
As BBC reports, the development of responsible researchers from the University of Bristol. The basis substance formed 5-aminolevulinova acid (5-ALA), which can be easily consumed in the form of a solution. Due to the special structure and due to a number of chemical reactions, 5-ALA has a rather unique properties. First, it accumulates in cancer cells, and secondly, capable of luminescence in the ultraviolet light spectrum. That in itself is not a cure from cancer, but greatly assists surgeons during operations.
The tumors glow under ultraviolet light
The fact that even a small overlooked “piece” of the tumor may cause a relapse of the disease. In their study, the British scientists before the surgery, 99 patients with glioma (a pretty aggressive form of cancer) were given a drink containing 5-ALA. In total 85 patients, the tumor emitted a glow during surgery, which greatly facilitated the work of the surgical team. Moreover, during the operation some part of tumor was found under the microscope due to the glow effect. As stated by the study’s author, associate Professor at the University of Bristol Katrina Kurian,
“Operations in the brain require not only high accuracy but also speed. The beauty of 5-ALA is that the doctors can see where the glioma during surgery, allowing them to work faster and more efficiently.”
Now scientists want to test 5-ALA on other types of cancer, as well as its recurrent forms. In addition, aminolevulinova acid has already been approved for use in this kind of research, and hence expect to implement it in practice upon successful completion of the test is not so long.
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