'Tumor Paint' makes cancer cells glow in the dark during surgery
By Julia Alexander, QMI Agency First posted: Saturday, April 11, 2015 08:15 PM EDT | Updated: Saturday, April 11, 2015 08:25 PM EDT
Creating glow in the dark tumors sound terrifying, but it may very well be the newest technology to help surgeons during operations.
Tumor Paint, an experimental product that has just begun its first wave of clinical testing in humans in the United States, takes venom from the Israeli Deathstalker scorpion and injects it into the patient's body causing the tumor to radiate like blood under a UV light.
According to Discover Magazine, “Deathstalker venom contains a molecule called chlorotoxin.”
Even though the Deathstalker scorpion is considered one of the most dangerous insects in the world, it's venom is essentially harmless to human beings. In fact, the only side effect is that the chlorotoxin allows it to bind onto cancer cells and when placed under a near-infrared light, causes the tumor to glow.
It's become one of the most anticipated methods for surgeons when operating on patients, especially those with brain tumors.
To the naked eye, it's incredibly difficult for neurosurgeons to determine what's healthy brain tissue and what's cancerous. In the event that a piece of healthy brain tissue is sliced instead of the tumor, the patient could awaken from surgery with less neurological function than before he or she went under the knife.
With Tumor Paint, founder Jim Olson and his co-workers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, can make the tumor glow a vibrant green, allowing it to stand out completely in contrast against the pink brain matter and red blood vessels.
In an interview with NPR, one of the chief surgeons at the center, Chirag Patil, claimed the paint was used in six patients with brain tumors, as well as countless times on mice and dogs.
“The first case we did was a deep tumor,” Patil said in the interview. “So with the camera, we couldn't really shine it into this deep small cavity. But when we took that first piece out and we put it on the table...we saw that it glows, [and] it was just one of those moments...'Wow, this works!'”
Although it's being used to accentuate brain tumors, Blaze Bioscience (Olson's company that produces the paint) claims the paint has been successful in detecting breast, prostate, lung, colon, and solid tumor cancers, too.
Tumor paint. (Courtesy: Blaze Bioscience)
'Tumor Paint' makes cancer cells glow in the dark during surgery | Health & Fitn
Bringing Light | Bert Klasey, Chris Baron & James Allen Smith from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo
By Julia Alexander, QMI Agency First posted: Saturday, April 11, 2015 08:15 PM EDT | Updated: Saturday, April 11, 2015 08:25 PM EDT
Creating glow in the dark tumors sound terrifying, but it may very well be the newest technology to help surgeons during operations.
Tumor Paint, an experimental product that has just begun its first wave of clinical testing in humans in the United States, takes venom from the Israeli Deathstalker scorpion and injects it into the patient's body causing the tumor to radiate like blood under a UV light.
According to Discover Magazine, “Deathstalker venom contains a molecule called chlorotoxin.”
Even though the Deathstalker scorpion is considered one of the most dangerous insects in the world, it's venom is essentially harmless to human beings. In fact, the only side effect is that the chlorotoxin allows it to bind onto cancer cells and when placed under a near-infrared light, causes the tumor to glow.
It's become one of the most anticipated methods for surgeons when operating on patients, especially those with brain tumors.
To the naked eye, it's incredibly difficult for neurosurgeons to determine what's healthy brain tissue and what's cancerous. In the event that a piece of healthy brain tissue is sliced instead of the tumor, the patient could awaken from surgery with less neurological function than before he or she went under the knife.
With Tumor Paint, founder Jim Olson and his co-workers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, can make the tumor glow a vibrant green, allowing it to stand out completely in contrast against the pink brain matter and red blood vessels.
In an interview with NPR, one of the chief surgeons at the center, Chirag Patil, claimed the paint was used in six patients with brain tumors, as well as countless times on mice and dogs.
“The first case we did was a deep tumor,” Patil said in the interview. “So with the camera, we couldn't really shine it into this deep small cavity. But when we took that first piece out and we put it on the table...we saw that it glows, [and] it was just one of those moments...'Wow, this works!'”
Although it's being used to accentuate brain tumors, Blaze Bioscience (Olson's company that produces the paint) claims the paint has been successful in detecting breast, prostate, lung, colon, and solid tumor cancers, too.
Tumor paint. (Courtesy: Blaze Bioscience)
'Tumor Paint' makes cancer cells glow in the dark during surgery | Health & Fitn
Bringing Light | Bert Klasey, Chris Baron & James Allen Smith from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo