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Hair Loss News Archives
April 2006
New device could cut chemotherapy deaths
April 2006
A new method of delivering chemotherapy to cancer patients without incurring
side effects such as hair loss and vomiting is being developed.
The method, produced at the University of Bath, involves using tiny fibres and
beads soaked in the chemotherapy drug which are then implanted into the
cancerous area in the patient's body.
These fibres are bio-degradable and compatible with body tissue, which means
they would not be rejected by the patient's body. They gradually turn from solid
to liquid, releasing a regular flow of the chemotherapy chemical into the cancer
site, and a much lower dose to the rest of the body.
This is a more localised way of killing cancer cells than the current method of
injecting the chemical into a cancer sufferer's vein so that it is carried
around the body.
As well as reducing the side-effects, the new drug delivery vehicle, known as
Fibrasorb, could also cut the numbers of patients who die from the effects of
chemotherapy because they need such high doses to tackle their cancer.
The method, developed by Dr Semali Perera, of the University's Department of
Chemical Engineering, over the past few years, has successfully gone through
preliminary laboratory trials.
The first clinical trials on volunteer patients with ovarian cancer in Avon,
Somerset and Wiltshire could begin in the next few years and, if successful, the
technology could be put into general use.
The research team at Bath is collaborating closely with the Avon, Somerset and
Wiltshire Cancer Centre and the oncology team at the Royal United Hospital for
the design and development of these drug delivery vehicles. This team includes
Dr Ed Gilby, one of the most experienced consultant oncologists, surgeons Mr
Nicholas Johnson and Mr Kenneth Jaaback, clinical trials experts and specialist
nurses such as Tracie Miles.
"Side effects from chemotherapy can be very unpleasant and sometimes fatal,"
said Dr Perera.
"The new fibres and beads could cut out some side-effects entirely, including
nausea and vomiting, and could reduce the number of people who die each year.
"Although the first study will be on patients with ovarian cancer, soon we hope
that other cancer sufferers with solid tumours will benefit.
"Give that around one in eight people worldwide die of cancer, this could be a
vitally important step in the treatment of this disease.
"We have now assembled an extremely experienced team to develop the Fibrasorb
technology."
The Fibrasorb technology is a flexible fully resorbable device that can be
formulated as a bead, a fibre or mesh, or as a tube put into the body which
leads outside the body and through which drugs can be fed.
For the pre-clinical studies, funded by the Department of Health, Dr Perera will
be working closely with Dr Vasanta Subramanian, a lecturer in the University's
Department of Biology & Biochemistry. Dr Subramanian is a cell and molecular
biologist with extensive research experience in gastrointestinal cancers and
stem cells in the gastrointestinal tract.
Dr Perera has also been working with the University's Department of Pharmacy &
Pharmacology to make the fibres more sterile so they cannot be attacked by
harmful bacteria.
Dr Perera said that other researchers had worked on using tiny beads as a way of
delivering drugs locally, but the new system showed greater promise because it
could achieve better control when delivering the drug.
A patent application has been filed on the drug delivery system, and drug
companies across the world are expected to express great interest in the new
technology.