"Breakthrough 'Molecular Jackhammer' Technique Destroys 99% of Cancer Cells, May Replace Surgery"
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new cancer treatment method that uses aminocyanine molecules, which are activated by near-infrared light to act as "molecular jackhammers," effectively destroying 99% of cancer cells in lab tests and eradicating tumors in half of the treated mice. This approach, which leverages the molecules' ability to attach to cell membranes and the penetrative power of near-infrared light, could potentially treat hard-to-reach cancers without surgery. The findings, adding to recent advances in cancer therapy, were published in the Nature Chemistry journal.