The new discovery
Researchers developed a radioactive wire, which is about the width of a pin. This small piece of metal is inserted directly into the tumor and releases radiation that kills the tumor from the inside out. Researchers believe this new method may offer more advantages than surgically removing a tumor.
“Not only are cancerous cells more reliably destroyed, but in the majority of cases the body develops immunity against the return of the tumor, a rare happening when the tumor is removed surgically,” a press release from Tel Aviv University explained.
The tests, done with mice, have shown success with several kinds of cancer located in the pancreas, colon, breast and brain. While about 90 percent of the mice that had tumors surgical removed redeveloped cancer, just 50 percent of mice that had the wire treatment redeveloped cancer.
“It’s like a cluster bomb — instead of detonating at one point, the atoms continuously disperse and emit alpha particles at increasing distances.”
The process takes approximately ten days, leaving only non-radioactive and non-toxic amounts of lead. The wire itself, which is initially inserted into the tumor by hypodermic needle, decays harmlessly in the body.