A self-charging implantable battery that sucks oxygen away from tumors makes some masses more vulnerable to destruction, according to a study published March 31 in Science Advances. When used in tandem with existing drugs, the implantable device shrunk mouse tumors by 90 percent, leading the study authors to suggest it could one day improve localized cancer treatments.
Tumor growth often outpaces the growth of its blood supply, leaving portions of the tumor in a state of oxygen deprivation known as hypoxia. While hypoxia is typically considered harmful to cells, it can paradoxically aid tumors by driving mutations that make the cells resistant to cancer therapies. But it also distinguishes cancerous tissues from nearby healthy ones, so for decades, scientists have attempted to leverage the hypoxic nature of the tumor by targeting tumors with drugs that are activated in low oxygen conditions, called hypoxia-activated prodrugs (HAPs).
Unfortunately, they’ve had little success. ...
