British scientists have invented a new technique to treat cancer tumors and destroy their cells without harming healthy ones, according to the British newspaper "The Sun." The scientists have named their invention the "sugar bomb," which targets sugar-hungry cancer cells within seconds.
Tumors are known to require nutrients to grow and spread, thus they devour this sweet "bomb" that contains medication. When light is directed at these cancerous cells, it detonates the "explosive" material present in the drug. This invention works effectively because cancer cells grow rapidly and require more sustenance, leading them to consume the "bomb" quickly. Healthy cells remain unaffected by this medication.
Scientists hope that "sugar therapy" will enhance the life expectancy of those afflicted with the disease and spare them from dangerous chemotherapy. So far, the new technique has been used on one of the most common brain cancers. In tests, the sugar-hungry cells within the tumor were destroyed in mere seconds. However, breast, prostate, and lung cancers can also be treated with this new approach.
Researcher Sam Benson from the University of Edinburgh described the sugar bomb technique as "a drug that absorbs energy from light. It uses that energy to arm oxygen in the cells and kill them from within." The British charity organization for brain tumors stated that this treatment could represent "an innovative new way to target aggressive cancer cells while preserving healthy ones."
