by Franklin P. Gumapon
DIPOLOG CITY, Feb. 13 (PIA) - - A new way of treating cancer will soon be available to patients suffering from such a disease.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has recently announced the discovery of a treatment developed by experts led by Dr. Jay Lazaro of the Institute of Biology of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City for cancer patients.
The treatment, which is currently being tested on mice, entails the use of immunoliposomes as carriers of drug in cancer therapy.
Immunoliposome technology has been considered a more effective drug delivery procedure wherein the cancer-treating drugs are coated with liposomes or sacs that can be filled with drugs to treat cancer or any disease. This technology is more specific as it targets only cancer cells that would result in less non-cancer cells to be affected by the treatment, less toxicity and less pain to the patient.
DOST report said “this new technology is much better than the more common method called chemotherapy in which drug is administered intravenously or injected drop-by-crop into the vein. The procedure lasts about 60 to 120 minutes and is repeated every three to four weeks.”
The discovery of this new anti-cancer treatment was made possible through a funding from the DOST.
“This kind of breakthrough technology is part of DOST’s drug discovery program for 2012,” said DOST Secretary Mario Montejo.
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy have been observed to have experienced side effects such nausea or vomiting, immediate allergic reaction, fatigue, weight loss, taste and smell changes resulting in loss of appetite and hair loss.
Chemotherapy is said to damage cells that are dividing, including normal cells in the hair, skin, lining of the mouth and digestive system.
Pain is also a common experience among cancer patients, resulting from the cancer itself or the cancer treatment.
Lazaro disclosed that the technology is now being tested using Caelyx, a certain cancer drug. “However, this technology can also be used for any other drug and any other illness,” explained Dr. Lazaro.
Treatment by immunoliposome can be more effective as it is target-specific and has less toxicity and side effects, giving the patient less fatigue and greater chance of recovering from the ailment. However, it may cost higher than Caelyx treatment for cancer which now costs between P40,000 to 45,000 for every 20mg.
The Department of Health (DOH) reported that cancer ranks third among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the country. (FPG/PIA-Zamboanga del Norte)
