Using Injectable Microcapsules to Fight Brain Cancer
Microencapsulation of brain cancer drug BCNU produces uniform drug release vehicle, injectable through the skull
This is so cool! Unfortunately, I don't have the time right now to do a full write-up of the importance of this, but it is amazing. This could allow for site-directed injection of medication to the brain (by-passing the blood-brain barrier hurdle!). If it works as good as the researchers claim, then this could be used for a multitude of brain disorders.
This is so cool! Unfortunately, I don't have the time right now to do a full write-up of the importance of this, but it is amazing. This could allow for site-directed injection of medication to the brain (by-passing the blood-brain barrier hurdle!). If it works as good as the researchers claim, then this could be used for a multitude of brain disorders.
Wow, this is an incredible new method! One day we're going to look back at our present-day treatments for cancer (eg. chemotherapy, radiation, etc.) and view them as barbaric and highly inefficient. Although chemotherapy can help patients into a remission stage and has been shown to show some positive effects, it is largely a shot in the dark compared with this new technology. This new microcapsule (which can be inserted directly through the skull) is a ground-breaking technology that offers a potential cure for many different neurological diseases. It is also impressive how specific this new therapy is compared with the old techniques of intravenous injections for chemotherapy drugs. It would be extremely interesting to study the effects of one of these microcapsules on a neurological disease such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. What different substances should one fill a capsule for a Parkinson's patient as opposed to, say, a brain cancer patient? I wish the article had discussed in more detail what specific drugs are used to target each different disease. What would happen if one injected a neurotransmitter like serotonin or GABA into a diseased brain? I'd love to read a case study on the effects of one of these microcapsules once more research is conducted!
ReplyDeleteThis is an incredibly exciting article to read. BCNU if it can completely eliminate the need for any surgical removal of cancerous tumors will be even more incredible than it already it. The current cancer treatments can be and often are incredibly grueling for cancer patients, especially those who have to undergo chemotherapy and radiation at higher dosages in order to cross that blood-brain barrier. I am excited to see where this will take cancer treatments, especially since it can be provided at lower costs than current treatments.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a very interesting article, and I can not wait to read more on this research. It's incredible what they can do with chemicals now, and I think the idea of increasing the dosage amount in order to cross the blood brain barrier is absolutely insane. That is not as effective as anyone would like it to be, and I believe that this new technology would be a significant break through in the oncology department. I would like to see how they plan on increasing the percentage of spheres obtained, since only three to four percent obtained perfect spheres. I would also like to see how they use the fibers that are created the most from this method. The potential for tissue repair and blood disease treatment is vast. I think this is a breakthrough not just in brain cancer, but in many different diseases.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it hurts having a needle injected through the skull (assuming that's what they mean by "injectable through the skull"). I don't wish to find out; however, it sure beats surgery.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually pretty cool. I like how they describe "electrojetting". It seems so simple. Hopefully, with all these new drug delivery methods, the side effects of chemotherapy will be a thing of the past. And as previously mentioned, this targeted delivery method can not only be used for brain cancer, but a whole plethora of other diseases. Also, as Rylan mentioned, a study involving these biodegradable spheres with specific drugs on Alzheimer's disease would be awesome.
Fascinating! The ability to cross the blood brain barrier is an amazing breakthrough and could remedy many of the complications associated with intrathecal chemotherapy and other injections. Could microcapsules be used to administer Baclofen, a common intrathecally administered drug? If so, perhaps the microcapsules could be engineered with varying release times, thus having the potential to replace (or enhance) the use of Baclofen pumps.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as the article points out, microcapsules could be revolutionary for chemotherapy methods. Not only will the ability to cross the blood brain barrier eliminate the higher dosages that are often used to overcome the barrier, but it could result it much lower dosages then are typically used since the drug could be administered almost directly to the site of the tumor. This could greatly decrease the numerous side-effects that accompany chemotherapy. I expect that the prospect of a higher quality of life, without sacrificing the potency of treatment would be especially attractive to end-stage patients and could increase the likely-hood that they pursue treatment.
Perhaps microcapsules could also be used outside of the skull. The ability for their drug release times to be manipulated could be an invaluable property. A new method of insulin administration could come from this. Maybe the polymers could be manipulated to breakdown in the presence of a chemical stimuli (i.e. too much glucose in the blood), in essence, allowing the body to "administer" it's own medication at the precise time that it is needed.
Lots of speculation on my part, but if these capsules are truly as amazing as the article makes them seem, the possibilities are astounding.
This article was a great read! Especially when entertaining the idea of microencapsulation. Not only is this a great foundation for fighting brain tumors, but also for pinpointing other tumors throughout the body. It could be a life saving and quicker process as compared to chemotherapy when trying to fight off cancer. The power of precision and accuracy truly makes its mark within this procedure. It would also save a lot of money in its process since the electrojetting process of the microcapsules is very low cost. This great new alternative could rapidly produce a new branch of medicine in treating some of the most harmful diseases. It is something to keep an eye on for future advancement and forms of treatment.
ReplyDeleteMicroencapsulation is an amazing new method with vast potentials. This article reminded me of the DNA cages article that talked about using DNA to create a nano-scale sized cage. These cages, like the microcapsules, could be used to hold drugs. It is a clear trend that researchers are looking into smarter ways of treating diseases. The shotgun approach of treating cancer through irradiating and poisoning tissue is on the way out. This approach has too many long term negative consequences. Methods that have high efficiency in targeting diseased cells are the future. These microcapsules could revolutionize how medical fields, such as oncology, treat diseases. This article is especially promising for a few reasons. The polymer the researchers used is already FDA approved. Additionally, the microcapsules took on different uniform shapes according to the amount of polymer present in solution. This allows manufactures to produce a uniform product with high precision. This will allow doctors to prescribe drug doses with better accuracy which is better for patients. It is amazing to see how the miniaturization of drug capsules opens a width swath of exciting possibilities.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I read an article about a new scientific advancement or technology, I can't help but smile at the innovative thinking and downright creativity of many of these scientists. Many science majors, myself included, are of the opinion that science and creativity don't mix. We "scientists" are pragmatic. We know how to recite facts and derive formulas, not draw pictures and write inspiring stories. But the more experience I have in organic chemistry, the more I realize that science is more than just learning and memorizing how processes work. You also have to be able to think critically and use previous knowledge in creative ways. Take retrograde synthesis for example, simply knowing that the dehydrohalogenation of an alkyl halide occurs in the presence of a base and its conjugate acid and produces an alkene is just idle knowledge if you cannot think resourcefully and fit that mechanism in the right part of a synthesis puzzle.
ReplyDeleteWith that in mind, I applaud the scientists whose innovative efforts transported medicine from the era of bloodletting as remedial or preventive treatment to the present age where there is a drug and two vaccines for almost every ailment. I also commend the creative scientists who advanced us from the 1900s practice of blending pig pancreas for insulin to the present norm of synthesizing and purifying this protein in labs across the world for easier access to diabetics everywhere. Frankly, I believe that every batch of scientists has possessed something, however minuscule, to contribute to the world of science, and just like their predecessors, the scientists this article refers to have come up with something laudable and novel. While I don't fancy getting jabbed in the head with a needle, I do understand that there are many people battling brain cancer and a treatment like this, which would cut down on side effects and successfully destroy the cancer cells, is probably worth a couple pokes in the head for them. Needless to say, this research is a harbinger of hope for many cancer patients around the world, and as Rylan mentioned, with this innovative trend, in a couple of years we would look back and call the present treatments primitive. I am truly excited to be a part of this new generation of scientists who have the opportunity to further improve medical procedures and equipment and hopefully change the face of medicine for our successors.