Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 34,
No 15_suppl (May 20 Supplement), 2016
Researchers at the University of Texas San Antonio have developed a way to kill cancer cells using ultraviolet light. They used the technique on one of the most aggressive cancers: triple negative breast cancer. This type of cancer is also one of the most difficult to treat. The new technique may also help cancer patients with hard-to-reach or inoperable malignant tumors.
The therapy involves injecting a chemical directly into the tumor, then shining a UV light on the tumor. This causes the tumor cells to become highly acidic and die. In just two hours, up to 95 percent of the cancer cells can be eradicated.
Unlike chemotherapy which affects all of the body’s cells, this technique targets only the tumor making it a very precise therapy. The researchers hope that this noninvasive cancer therapy will help doctors get rid of the most challenging tumors such as ones located in the spine, brain stem, and aorta.
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