Researchers announce development of a noninvasive technology that offers enormous benefits for treating breast cancer.*
“In addition to examinations, planning is vital for the financial consequences associated with a breast cancer diagnosis,”
Jesse Slome, director of the American Association of Critical Illness Insurance
Ultrasound destroys cancer cells , June 29, 2020: Researchers at Tel Aviv University announced development of a noninvasive technology that improves gene delivery into breast cancer cells. The technique combines ultrasound with tumor-targeted microbubbles.
“Microbubbles are microscopic bubbles filled with gas,” explains Dr. Tali Ilovitsh who led the research team. “With a diameter as small as one tenth of a blood vessel. This process increases the transfer of substances from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissue. Using lower frequencies than those applied previously, microbubbles can significantly expand. We realized that this discovery could be used as a platform for cancer treatment and started to inject microbubbles into tumors directly.”
The researchers injected them directly into tumors in a mouse model. “About 80% of tumor cells were destroyed in the explosion,” says Dr. Ilovitsh. “The targeted treatment, which is safe and cost-effective, was able to destroy most of the tumor. To prevent the remaining cancer cells to spread, we needed to destroy all of the tumor cells. That is why we injected an immunotherapy gene alongside the microbubbles. That acts as a Trojan horse, and signaled the immune system to attack the cancer cell.”
The report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States notes that membrane pores were formed in the remaining 20% of the cancer cells. This triggered an immune response that destroyed the cancer cells.
One in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer
About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime shares Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. In 2020, an estimated 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in U.S. women. An additional 48,530 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer will be diagnosed.
According to breastcancer.org in women under 45, breast cancer is more common in Black women than white women. For Asian, Hispanic, and Native-American women, the risk of developing and dying from breast cancer is lower. Ashkenazi Jewish women have a higher risk of breast cancer because of a higher rate of BRCA mutations.
“Women must understand their real risk. In addition to examinations, planning is vital for the financial consequences associated with a breast cancer diagnosis,” shares Jesse Slome director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
“Women will find their health insurance doesn’t cover every dollar of costs. And taking off from their jobs to undergo treatments often means reduced income.” A modest cancer insurance policy can cover healthcare costs. Use it to replace lost income while you undergo treatment and recovery time. It’s vital for women age 40 and older to consider.”
* Source. Science Daily, June 26, 2020
Photo credit: Image by Mary Theresa McLean from Pixabay
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