Medical

Miniature oxygen generator implants to boost effectiveness of cancer treatments

Miniature oxygen generator implants to boost effectiveness of cancer treatments
The miniature device (right) that fits inside a tube (left) and can then be inserted into a tumor with a biopsy needle to generate oxygen and boost the effectiveness of cancer treatments (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)
The miniature device (right) that fits inside a tube (left) and can then be inserted into a tumor with a biopsy needle to generate oxygen and boost the effectiveness of cancer treatments (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)
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The design of the miniature oxygen generator (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)
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The design of the miniature oxygen generator (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)
The miniature device (right) that fits inside a tube (left) and can then be inserted into a tumor with a biopsy needle to generate oxygen and boost the effectiveness of cancer treatments (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)
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The miniature device (right) that fits inside a tube (left) and can then be inserted into a tumor with a biopsy needle to generate oxygen and boost the effectiveness of cancer treatments (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)

Some cancers, such as pancreatic and cervical cancers, are notoriously hypoxic, which means they contain low oxygen levels. Because radiation therapy needs oxygen to be effective, hypoxic areas of a tumor can be difficult to kill. To combat this, researchers at Purdue University have developed and tested a miniature electronic device that is designed to be implanted into solid tumors to generate oxygen and boost the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

Once implanted into a tumor, the new "implantable micro oxygen generator" uses ultrasonic signals to generate a small voltage to separate oxygen and hydrogen from water in a chemical process called water electrolysis. The devides are just under one centimeter (0.39-in) long and are inserted into tumors with a hypodermic biopsy needle.

The design of the miniature oxygen generator (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)
The design of the miniature oxygen generator (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)

"We are putting these devices inside tumors and then exposing the tumors to ultrasound," said Babak Ziaie, a Purdue University professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering. "The ultrasound energy powers the device, generating oxygen.

The devices, which were created at the Birck Nanotechnology Center in Purdue's Discovery Park, have been tested in pancreatic tumors implanted in mice. The tests showed the devices generated oxygen, which resulted in the tumors shrinking faster than tumors without the devices.

The Purdue researchers have filed a patent for the current design and are looking at the possibility of redesigning it to make it more practical for manufacturing and clinical trials.

The results of the team's research appear in a paper published online in Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

3 comments
3 comments
donwine
There is an easier way to deliver O2. Potassium bicarbonate is mostly solid oxygen. Only the potassium and not sodium will penetrate the cell. Bad cells which cause cancer or tumors want calories. If you mix 1 cup of water with 1 tsp of bicarb and 1 tablespoon of B grade maple syrup daily it will do the job. The potassium is a bonus which most people are deficient. The bad cells will take in 15 times as much maple as a normal cell and it overdoses on the O2. Bicarb is part of most chemo formulas - without it you would die. You can learn more if you search \"pH7 Diet\" in a search engine.
Santiago Hirsbrunner
So, Sodium bicarbonate mixed with magenesium oxide will not penetrate the cell? I take this with camu powder (vit c) and bentonite clay.
jailerjay
I tried contacting Purdue\'s Birrk Center regarding this device - availability, trials, etc. No response. Could anyone help me get this request in the right hands?