Will Nanotechnology Help Treat Cancer? by Dr. Joseph Mercola

Cancer nanotechnology, the use of molecular tools designed to combat the disease, is a growing field. Recently, the National Cancer Institute announced two waves of funding for nanotech training and research, and it sees nanotechnology as vital to its goal of "eliminating suffering and death from cancer by 2015." In recent years, much has been learned about how cancer works at the cellular level, meaning that molecules that detect and destroy cancer cells could eventually make painful and ineffective treatments a thing of the past. Cancer DetectionThe first generation of cancer nanotech applications will most likely concern detection. Nanoparticles could recognize a cancer's molecular signatures, or adhere to hidden cancerous cells, making them visible to an MRI or fluorescent light. Cancer DestructionEventually, nanoparticles could be made which not only find those cells, but also destroy them.

Such applications could include:

- Metallic molecules that adhere to cancer cells, and can then be heated with microwaves, a magnetic field, or infrared light, destroying the tumor without harm to surrounding tissue
- Molecular envelopes for chemical compounds that would otherwise be toxic to ingest
- Nanoparticles that carry other therapeutic chemicals on their surface to targeted areas

It is difficult to guess how soon cancer nanotechnologies will be commercially available. The research is still in early stages, and safety testing is difficult.Wired News November 7, 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comment:I am a major proponent of technology and have previously run articlesabout nanotechnology.Without any doubt, this technology will change your life in the future, for better or worse. I suspect you'll hearing much more about nanotech in the coming years being used as a weapon by conventional medicine to eliminate cancer.In fact, the National Cancer Institute is so keen on nanotech, they've developed a Cancer Nanotechnology Plan that calls for clinical trials in as soon as three years.I remain cautiously optimistic though. Well I welcome this radical breakthrough in technology I have some concerns and reservations about it being another form of pollution that could ultimately backfire and create more harm than good.However, I do believe if properly harnessed this technology, along with genetic expression manipulation has the potential to extend our lifespan into the 150 year old range.However,you don't have to wait for technology to catch up to natural treatments to enhance and protect your health. And even if nanotech were here today they would work synergistically with natural therapies and would in no way be a substitute or replacement for them.If you want to virtually eliminate your cancer risk today, I urge you to review my comprehensive list of 11 recommendations I posted earlier this year.

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