In Pennsylvania, Penn State researchers have found a way to create biodegradable polymer nanoparticles that have cancer-fighting drugs integrated in them to attack certain cancers. This two pronged approach to fighting cancer can help cancer treatment be more targeted so it doesn’t harm healthy cells. Researchers combined their experience in immunology and cancer with biomaterials and biodegradable science leading them to this discovery. Because immune cells look for inflamed areas, they are attracted to the tumor site where they can then deliver the cancer-fighting drug directly to the targeted inflamed tumor.
So far, studies have been done outside the human body so their next step is to test it on animals that have tumors. While it’s not a cure for cancer, it shows promise in getting cancer-fighting medicines working with the body’s natural immune system to target the cancer cells more effectively.