UK scientists have new treatment for Prostate Cancer

Scientists at the University of York have discovered a potential new treatment for prostate cancer using low temperature plasmas (LTPs). Published in the British Journal of Cancer, the study is the first time LTPs have been applied on cells grown directly from patient tissue samples. Taking both healthy prostate cells and prostate cancer tissue cells from a single patient, the study allowed for direct comparison of the effectiveness of the treatment. Scientists discovered that LTPs may be a potential option for treatment of patients with organ confined prostate cancer, and a viable, more cost-effective alternative to current radiotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatments.
Low temperature plasmas are formed by applying a high electric field across a gas using an electrode, which breaks down the gas to form plasma. This creates a complex, unique reactive environment containing high concentrations of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Operated at atmospheric pressure and around room temperature, the delivery of RONS, when transferred through plasma to a target source, is a key mediator of oxidative damage and cell death in biological systems.
Through this research they have found that LTPs induce high levels of DNA damage, which leads in turn to a substantial reduction in colony forming ability, and ultimately necrotic cell death. Using clinically relevant, close-to-patient samples, they have presented the first experimental evidence promoting the potential of LTP as a future focal cancer therapy treatment for patients with early stage prostate cancer.