Researchers from the United States have shown that light may be a promising treatment for cancer. The study published in the journal Nature Medicine showed that specific waves of light may be used to activate a drug that is made to attach itself to tumours and kill them. This type of treatment is considered a target-specific method for curing the deadly disease as it only aims to treat a specific part in the patient’s body.

At the moment, cancer treatments fall into three classifications: radiation, surgery and medications, all of which have side effects.

Because of this, scientists are bent on finding treatments that target cancerous tumours, in order to have a more precise treatment for cancer, while minimizing side effects.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in Maryland utilized an antibody in order to locate the proteins that are found on cancer cells. They attached a chemical called IR700 to the antibody which allows it to respond to infrared light that can go through the skin for a few centimetres beneath it.

Tests were run on mice implanted with tumours. Results showed that the size of the tumours were significantly reduced and the survival of the mice that had light treatment were longer than the control mice. According to the results of the study, this highly selective and very specific treatment reduces damage to nearby normal cells. The researchers found this to be a great feat in trying to find an effective solution in treating cancer without the harmful side effects.

The organization, Cancer Research UK, provides information on their Web site on how light can be a possible treatment for cancer through Psoralen Ultraviolet Treatment and Photodynamic Therapy. Back in 2006, the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence have approved Photodynamic Therapy as one of the possible treatments for some types of skin cancer.