Death by Nanoparticles: Dr. Green’s Novel Approach to Cancer Treatment

Cancer is considered one of the world’s most serious illnesses. In 2021, the United States alone is expected to see 1,898,160 new cancer cases. As more people develop cancer, expenditures are projected to rise in the coming years, because cancer cannot be cured with a single, universal treatment, as it is characterized by a plethora of types and genetic mutations. Current standard care, such as chemotherapy and radiation, can successfully treat cancer, but not without side effects. Presently, when doctors use these methods, healthy tissues that aren’t cancerous are affected and tend to lead to unintended complications.

But the founder of Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation, Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green, is trailblazing a step forward to a safer, more cost-friendly way to treat cancer.  Laser Activated Nano Therapy (LANT), as per Dr. Green herself, is “a treatment platform that has great potential to treat multiple tumor types in a simple outpatient procedure with minimal side effects”.

How does LANT work?

  1. Tumor or cancer cells Identification

    The first step is to determine which cells are healthy and which ones are cancerous, being mindful that the aim is to avoid harming the perfectly healthy ones in the process of eliminating cancer. 

  1. Nano-solution Injection

    Nano-solution comprises non-toxic nanometer-sized particles in solution. A small quantity is injected into the body.

  1. Laser Activation

    A non-hazardous beam of light from the laser is shined upon the tumor that’s been injected with nano-solution. 

  1. Light Absorption

    As the laser is beaming light onto the tumor, the nano-solution absorbs the light. For the tumor to be removed, both light and solution are needed. 

  1. Therapy

    While the light absorption goes on, the nano-solutions start converting this into heat, which steadily burns the cancer cells. Cancer then regresses, shrinks, and dies off just 10 minutes into the process. It is reported that in no more than 15 days, the tumor becomes nonexistent.

As a result of Dr. Green’s 11 years of dedication in the lab, she has found a way to put nanotechnology to good use. It is hoped that LANT will fulfill its potential as a more low-cost, healthier alternative for cancer treatment.

Sources:

  1. Cancer Statistics - National Cancer Institute
  2. Cancer Statistics, 2021 - PubMed (nih.gov)
  3. Cancer Treatment by Dr. Hadiyah- Nicole Green | by Mark Odecho | Medium
  4. Research | Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation