Early Detection of Colon Cancer With Gold Nano Particles

Experts of Stanford University have claimed that gold nano particles might help doctors detect colon cancer sooner. This could lead to easier and more successful treatment. Larger polyps can be easily detected by colonoscopy, but small ones may be overlooked.

For testing purpose the patients will have to drink a fluid containing billions of the microscopic nano particles. Scientists added a surface layer of peptides or larger proteins to the nano particles which are designed to attach to the cancer cells. As this fluid makes its way down the bowel, the particles stick to the tumor cells they encounter. While performing colonoscopy the doctor will see the bright reflection of these ingested nano particles which have got attached to the cancer cells. Now scientists are looking forward to use nano particles to look at other cancers. These nano particles have been safely used in mouse studies and now scientists are hoping to conduct human trials. According to the scientists regulatory FDA approval for the procedure would come by the next year end. The study has been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.


Source-Medindia