Researcher hopes to reduce cancer side-effects

GEORGINA STYLIANOU

The nasty side-effects of cancer treatment could be eliminated, a Canterbury University researcher has discovered.

Associate Professor Richard Hartshorn has spent 10 years working on being able to target cells and trigger reactions using light. His breakthrough research has been published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal, Chemical Communications.

"This could be a different way of treating cancer or a way of treating cancer that might minimise some of the side-effects," he told The Press.

"Chemotherapy targets cancer cells that divide rapidly but there are other cell types that grow quickly or divide rapidly, such as the cells that line the gut or the cells involved with hair production."

Treatment for cancer attacked these healthy cells as well, he said, leading to the common side-effects of nausea and hair loss.

"We have found that we can trigger reactions of a special molecule using light."

This molecule contained ruthenium and cobalt as well as a stand-in for an anti-cancer drug.

The ruthenium ion acted as an antenna that absorbed light.

"Light hits the ruthenium, which then throws an electron to the cobalt and that causes the cobalt to release the drug molecule.

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Researcher hopes to reduce cancer side-effects