A Cancer Therapy Without Hair Loss

By JULIE WHELDON

SCIENTISTS have developed a revolutionary way of administering chemotherapy which could eradicate hair loss and sickness.

The method aims to more accurately target the cancer site, preventing the potent chemicals from poisoning other parts of the body.

Chemotherapy drugs are normally injected, which means they spread throughout the body killing cancer cells but also damaging other fast-growing cells such as those on the scalp or in the digestive system.

The new approach uses tiny drug-soaked beads or fibres that are implanted into the body near the tumour.

As they break down, the cancer site receives the highest dose while the rest of the body is exposed to much lower levels.

The fibre is formed into needlethin lengths which can be cut to size depending on how much of the drug is needed. This is then inserted into the body as close as possible to the cancer.

The method has been developed by Dr Semali Perera, of Bath University, and has gone through preliminary laboratory trials.

The first clinical trials on volunteer patients with ovarian cancer in Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire could begin in the next few years.