Cancer treatment can be advanced by the discovery of a compound that causes the death of cancer cells, a process called apoptosis, using nitric acid.
The discovery is ruthenium dye-sensitized nitrosyls that is embedded in the cancer cells and can kill if the exposure to specific light rays – photo dynamic therapy – causes release of nitric oxide.
Pradip Mascharak, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Cruz, explains: “For the treatment of cancer, you want localized delivery of a very high concentration of nitric oxide. We have these molecules designed to do.”
“The idea for the treatment of cancer would be to embed the links in a matrix that you can place in the treatment site, the light on to a high concentration of nitric oxide.”
He added that the process was inspired by natural processes, scientists tracking the behavior of nature and the appropriate methods accordingly.
Photodynamic therapy is often used to treat cancer of the skin, lungs, stomach, mouth, head and neck.