Cancer’s ‘silver bullet’

Precious metal may hold key to curing killer illness

AUSTRALIAN scientists hope a medical breakthrough could be the “silver bullet” in the battle against inoperable brain cancers.

A new magnetic nanoparticle — formed with a dash of silver — could be used in combination with radiation and heat therapy to kill cancer cells, according to research from the University of Wollongong and Australia‘s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).

The development, which could save thousands of lives, is even more important given the lack of progress on brain cancer treatment in the past

30 years.

While the number of people surviving other types of cancers has steadily improved in that time, the survival rate for brain cancer has remained around 22 per cent.

Head of targeted nanotherapies at the university’s Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, Moeava Tehei, said the new approach could be used to target some of the most complex and deadly brain cancers in the country.

“Importantly, the biological effects of the nanoparticles were toxic to cancer cells, but not normal cells,” Dr Tehei said.

“This is a promising potential approach that could be used in a combination therapy to target some of the most aggressive and deadly cancers in Australia.”

The study used nanoparticles from a compound called lanthanum manganite “doped” with silver.

The silver adds magnetic properties to the nanoparticles, which react to magnetic heat therapy, and can then be used to target the site of the cancer.

According to ANSTO scientist Kirrily Rule, the breakthrough could save the lives of those previously thought to have a fatal brain cancer diagnosis.

“We used our neutron instrument, Echidna, to see if the magnetic properties of the nanoparticles changed at different temperatures,” Dr Rule said. “What this means is we could potentially use these types of nanoparticles, in combination with other cancer treatments, to directly target deadly brain tumours. I’ve been investigating magnetic materials for many years but being able to conduct experiments like this that could ultimately save lives was exciting.”

According to Cancer Australia, 1879 Australians were diagnosed with brain cancer last year, making up 1.3 per cent of all cancers diagnosed — but they made up to 3.2 per cent of all cancer deaths.

Brain cancer was estimated to be the ninth most common cause of death in Australia in 2020.