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Published online 5 November 2007 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2007.218
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Nanotubes zap cancer
Radio waves turn injected carbon into heat bombs against tumours.
Cancer cells can be destroyed from within, by injecting them with nanotubes and then zapping the tubes with radio-frequency waves.
Steven Curley at the University of Texas M.
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I would hope that there is a way of purging all the therapeutic nanotubes from the patient, or enough so, such that stray exposure to other sources of RF that we are immersed in these days will have no harmful effect. Don't want to be zapped by the 10 O'Clock News van's microwave antenna. M. Pun Oakland, CA
In my 52-year-long clinical experience, NIR-LED therapy acts efficaciously when applied upon the precise side of INHERITED Oncological Real Risk, in individuals obviously involved by Oncological Terrain (www.semeioticabiofisica.it: Oncological Terrain and the linked website Microangiologia). Unfortunately, regarding nanotubes in cancer therapy - Curley states “We’re realistically three to four years from clinical trials,â€. Really too much, in my opinion! In addition neither Curley, nor ALL other Oncologists (Reviewers and Editors, too) have not jet decided to study what Oncological Terrain and Inherited Oncological Real Risk do mean and HOW can be bedside recognized in quantitative manner.
Another consideration for the eventual implementation of targeting nanotubes to cancerous cells is brain immune response to the tissue damage caused by this treatment. Further animal model in vivo studies need to be undertaken to ensure that recovery post-treatment is not associated with brain swelling and/or maladaptive activation of local microglial populations.
Without access to the on-line article in Cancer at this point, it is suspected that the frequency of the radio waves used in this study was quite high, propably in the microwave range. If so, it is not a surprise that the radio waves heat up the carbon nanotube. It is well known that microwave heats up graphite which has the same basic sturcture of graphene as nanotubes.
Dr. Smalley's work was preceded by another fellow (John Kanzius)who came up with the idea and who subsequently contacted Dr. Smalley. He deserves credit if this becomes a significant breakthrough in the treatment of cancer. See: http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/scimedemail/la-na-cancer2nov02,0,948916.story?page=1