Melanoma treatment could benefit from nanotech drug

Current treatments are hampered because producing drug levels in the lymph node high enough to eliminate tumors creates problems with toxicity. Another drawback is the cancer often also becomes resistant to treatment.
The researchers say the new approach, which they have tested on laboratory animals, can also decrease drug resistance and the toxic effects that this type of chemotherapy often brings.
The nanotech drug-delivery system could also be a step forward in the treatment of any cancer that tends to spread through the lymphatic system, says lead author Adam Alani, an assistant professor in Oregon State University's College of Pharmacy.
In addition to melanoma, cancers of the breast, prostate, pancreas, gastric system, lung, and head and neck also tend to spread via the lymphatic system.
The main disadvantage of current treatments is that the levels of drugs required to have a therapeutic effect in the lymphatic system are too toxic. Also, giving the drugs one at a time tends to breed resistance to them.
Nanoparticles are tiny particles ranging between 1-100 nanometers in size, or about the same size as biomolecules such as proteins and antibodies. By controlling their chemistry, size and surface charge, scientists can engineer them to carry drugs to precise targets in the body.