Does this sound vaguely familiar? COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Treatment for colorectal cancer usually means surgery, often accompanied by chemotherapy. Both types of treatment carry risks, including residual disease and toxic side effects. A newer, safer treatment is in development by Dr. Sung II Park and his team at Texas A&M University. It consists of a low cost, minimally invasive, wireless device that provides precise colorectal cancer treatment.
How does the innovative technique work? Surgeons will remove the bulk of a tumor. Then, using a photosensitizing drug activated by light, they will irradiate the tumor bed to kill residual colorectal cancer cells.
“The biocompatible, miniaturized, implantable LED device will facilitate photodynamic therapy (PDT) that is tailored to the individual tumor response,” says Park, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the university, in a statement.
The system has the potential to provide remote, continuous health monitoring. It may also prevent recurrence, significantly improving the quality of life for people with cancers. This method of disease management would reduce the enormous economic burden of oncology-related expenditures, totaling $167 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. A 23.35 percent increase is projected for 2022.