2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
Study Finds
Bio-adhesive nanoparticles (white) a er being taken up by skin cancer tumor cells during in vitro culture. (Image credit:
Julia Lewis)
February 3, 2021
Cancer, Health & Medical, Science & Technology
‘Holy grail’ nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer
developed by Yale scientists
by John Anderer
7 Share Tweet
SHARES
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Could beating skin cancer in the future be as simple as a shot
in the arm? Perhaps, according to a team from Yale University. Scientists are
developing a skin cancer treatment applied by injecting nanoparticles directly inside
tumors. This method could potentially kill cancer cells via a two-pronged approach
and hopefully help countless skin cancer patients avoid surgery.
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 1/9
2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
“ForStudy
a lot of patients, treating skinYou're
Finds
cancer is much more involved than it would be if
currently o line
there was a way to e ectively treat them with a simple procedure like an injection,”
says senior study author and Yale Medical School’s vice chair of dermatology Dr.
Michael Girardi in a university release. “That’s always been a holy grail in
dermatology — to find a simpler way to treat skin cancers such as basal cell
carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.”
The injections consist of polymer-based nanoparticles infused with a chemotherapy
agent. According to the team at Yale, the bio-adhesive nature of the nanoparticles
involved is integral to this method’s cancer-killing success. In simpler terms, the
nanoparticles are able to latch onto cancer cells long enough to inflict some serious
damage.
“When you inject our nanoparticles into a tumor, it turns out that they’re retained
within that tumor very well,” explains study co-author Mark Saltzman, the Goizueta
Foundation Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Environmental
Engineering, and professor of physiology. “They accumulate and bind to the tumor
matrix, so one single injection lasts for a very long time — the particles stay there
and slowly release the compounds. You need that to get rid of the lesion.”
Beating skin cancer with a ‘kill and thrill’ approach
Another critical element to this cancer-fighting approach is pairing the injection with
an agent that jumpstarts the immune system.
“I call the phenomenon ‘kill and thrill,'” Girardi adds. “You don’t want to just kill the
cells and leave them there, you want to stimulate the immune system to clean up the
mess and also react against cells that might not have been killed directly. So it’s a
two-pronged attack on the cancer.”
The hope is that, once perfected, this treatment will reduce the need for skin cancer-
related surgeries considerably. This would help out patients across a number of
areas. Less surgeries means fewer potential surgical complications or wound
infections. Moreover, many patients aren’t suitable candidates for surgery in the first
place due to other health considerations.
Additionally, this injection strategy would allow patients to target and treat multiple
tumors during a single doctor visit.
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 2/9
2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
“In these studies, we did just a single
Study Finds
injection, and that’s how we’d like it to work
You're currently o line
clinically,” Saltzman says. “You go to a dermatologist, they see a lesion and inject
into it, and it’s gone and you don’t have to come back.”
Notably, the nanoparticle delivery system allows for the use of particularly strong
chemotherapy drugs without the risk of adverse side-e ects. Since the
nanoparticles, and by extension the chemotherapy drugs, stay attached to tumor
cells, there’s a much lower risk of the usual side-e ects linked to chemotherapy such
as fatigue or hair loss.
The study is published in Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.
Like 13K people like this. Be the first of your friends.
202 82%
2
What is your reaction? 51 votes
82% 0% 2% 8% 6% 2%
HAPPY INDIFFERENT AMUSED EXCITED ANGRY SAD
Leave a reply
Default Comments (0) Facebook Comments
AD
BREAST CANCER RADIATION
1
SIDE EFFECTS
2 BASAL CELL CARCINOMA
3 SYMPTOMS OF MOUTH CANCER
4 HOW TO TREAT NECK PAIN
5 TIPS TO HEAL SORE THROAT
Advertisement
Comments (2) People Listening: 145
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 3/9
2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
Write
Studya comment
Finds You're currently o line
Sort by Latest
ou812 3h
O
Democrats won't let this come out.. they stopped low cost insulin... big pharma wouldn't
let them keep the price low.
1 1 Share Reply
AJ ou812 2h
AJ
Great to have a real President and First Lady, America gone without true leadership far
to long! Trump was voted out by true Americans, so deal!
1 Share Reply
TALK OF THE TOWN
The weather has a bigger Overweight is great? Packing
impact on COVID spread than on pounds later in life may
social distancing, study actually help you live longer -
concludes Study Finds
21 Comments 5 Comments
'Holy grail' nanoparticle Breakthrough stem cell
injection that treats skin therapy may reverse life-
cancer developed by Yale threatening conditions in
scientists - Study Fin... dogs - Study Finds
2 Comments 1 Comment
How spicy chili peppers could Study Reveals Why Pandas
be the key to cheap, efficient Have Black And White Fur
and abundant solar energy - Patterns
Study Finds 1 Comment
1 Comment
Show more articles
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 4/9
2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
Show more articles
Study Finds You're currently o line
Add Vuukle Privacy
AD
1. SYMPTOMS OF LUNG PROBLEMS a
2. 10 EARLY SIGNS OF LUNG CANCER a
3. SQUAMOUS CELL SKIN CANCER a
4. TIPS TO HEAL SORE THROAT a
5. HOW TO TREAT NECK PAIN a
Advertisement
Share
Leave a Comment
0 0
About the Author
John Anderer
View John's article archive
The contents of this website do not constitute advice and are provided for
informational purposes only. See our full disclaimer
Related Studies
Male
Breast
Cancer
Sufferers
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 5/9
2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
Need
Study Finds You're currently o line Gender-
Specific
Treatments
Study
Finds
Personalize
vaccines
provide
long-
lasting
protection
against
tumors
for skin
cancer
patients
Adding
more
niacin to
diet can
protect
skin
cells
from UV
exposure,
lower
cancer
risk
Artificial
Intelligence
Better At
Diagnosing
Skin
Cancer
Than
Dermatolog
Study
Finds
New
discovery
about
moles
may
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 6/9
2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
lead to
Study Finds You're currently o line treatment
for skin
cancer
Body
shape
could
determine
bowel
cancer
risk,
especially
in
women
Recent Studies
‘Zoombom
incidents
are
mostly
inside
jobs,
filling
virtual
meetings
with
hate
Want to
scoop
less
poop?
Feed
your
pup
human-
grade
dog
food
Drinking
coffee
and
green
tea
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 7/9
2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
lowers
Study Finds You're currently o line the risk
of death
in heart
attack,
stroke
survivors
Glass
ceiling
starts in
childhood:
Women
get
fewer
financial
lessons
before
becoming
adults,
even
from
their
parents!
Americans
watch
400+
hours of
TV
shows
they
hate just
to avoid
arguments
with
their
partner
The
Birds &
The
Trees:
Just
seeing
nature,
wildlife
from
your
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 8/9
2/4/2021 'Holy grail' nanoparticle injection that treats skin cancer developed by Yale scientists - Study Finds
window
Study Finds You're currently o line relieve
stress,
anxiety
Contact Health Studies
Mission Political Studies
Editorial Team & Contributors Disclaimer
Who’s Mentioned Us
© 2021 41 Pushups, LLC
https://www.studyfinds.org/holy-grail-nanoparticles-treats-skin-cancer/ 9/9
