Cancer drug to stop hair loss

The research was carried out by an international team led by Sherry Wu from the Queensland University in Australia and these researchers have found a method to lock up genes that cause cancer in tumor cells so that other healthy and normal tissues are secured.

The Procedure and Observations
“The new method which involves the use of coatings rich in fats, will hasten the application of RNA interference or gene-silencing, a technology which can inactivate individual genes,” says Sherry Wu.

RNA interference permits precise silencing of cancer causing genes in tumor cells and may be able to control hair loss in cancer patients caused by chemotherapy and radiation methods of healing cancer.

A 70 per cent decrease in growth of cervical tumor after using this technique on mice was observed. By using these fat rich coatings particular genes that are involved in hair loss get deactivated.

Usage of the drug in Clinics

But using these drugs becomes less possible in clinics due to complex delivery mechanism required to transport these gene silencing drugs. If not packaged properly, these drugs may be found unstable at room temperature.

So the researchers suggest use of ‘Lipid rich carriers’ for packaging of these cancer drugs for safe delivery and efficient use of these drugs in tumor tissues.

Till recently, surgery and radiotherapy have helped treat cancer in millions of patient but with side effects like sickness and hair loss. The new drug strives to put an end to these side effects.

Nigel McMillan who is a fellow researcher concludes, “We are excited about our findings and we are currently investigating the feasibility of combining this gene-silencing technology with low dose chemotherapeutic agents in cancer treatments.”