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Remotely Heated Seeds to Treat Brain Tumors

A tumor seen on an MRI scan. (Getty/iStock)
A tumor seen on an MRI scan. (Getty/iStock)
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Remotely Heated Seeds to Treat Brain Tumors

A tumor seen on an MRI scan. (Getty/iStock)
A tumor seen on an MRI scan. (Getty/iStock)

A tiny magnetic seed could hold the key to treating tumors in some of the most inaccessible parts of the body. According to Sky News, minimally invasive image-guided ablation, or "Minima", is a new therapy which sees the 2mm seed guided through the brain to heat and destroy tumors.

Tested on mice, it involves using an MRI scanner to navigate the seed's path to the tumor, before heating it remotely and using this heat to kill off the cancer cells. The technique could mean more effective treatment, reduced recovery times, and less chance of side effects.

It could be used against hard-to-reach glioblastoma - the most common form of brain cancer - as well as prostate cancer and other tumors that would benefit from less invasive treatment. The findings are detailed in a study published in the journal Advanced Science. Senior author, Professor Mark Lythgoe from the UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, told the PA news agency: "By having precise remote control of the seed using the MRI scanner, we can destroy only the cancer cells. This means that we will be able to preserve the healthy tissue.”

"In terms of neurosurgery this means that we will be able to preserve motor function and cognitive function which not only contribute to the quality of life and recovery time but can contribute to the long-term survival of the patient," he added.

Co-author Dr. Lewis Thorne is a consultant neurosurgeon at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery who treats patients with glioblastoma.

"Minima can successfully destroy cancer in a mouse and has the potential to extend survival and limit damage to adjacent brain tissues in patients," Lythgoe added.
Professor Mark Emberton, UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science - lead cancer clinician in the study, said: "Improving the precision of our cancer treatments is arguably one of the greatest unmet needs we have today. "

One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"While treatments such as radiotherapy and surgery can be effective, they often cause unwanted and debilitating side effects such as incontinence and impotence. Minima may allow us to precisely target and destroy prostate tumor tissue, reducing harm to normal cells,” Emberton concluded.

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Chinese Study Recommends Region-Specific Diets, amid Rising Obesity Risks

A customer shops for tomatoes at the vegetable section of a supermarket in Beijing, China October 17, 2024. (Reuters)
A customer shops for tomatoes at the vegetable section of a supermarket in Beijing, China October 17, 2024. (Reuters)
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Chinese Study Recommends Region-Specific Diets, amid Rising Obesity Risks

A customer shops for tomatoes at the vegetable section of a supermarket in Beijing, China October 17, 2024. (Reuters)
A customer shops for tomatoes at the vegetable section of a supermarket in Beijing, China October 17, 2024. (Reuters)

Chinese scientists have recommended a region-specific diet they say is crucial to improving eating habits in the country amid a rise in obesity and lifestyle diseases, and as a means to conserve natural and environmental resources.

China in October published its first set of guidelines to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of obesity, with more than half of China's adults already overweight and obese, and the rate expected to keep rising. The government has said that healthier diets are important to treat and prevent obesity.

A group of scientists from the School of Public Health at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, in China's affluent southern Guangdong province, said its study adheres to a "Planetary Health Diet" and advocates a reduced consumption of dairy products and red meat.

Published in the Nature Food journal in August and reported in state media last week, the study recommended that in China's north, which is characterized by a high intake of dairy products but low consumption of vegetables, people need to eat more fruits and whole grains.

In the southwest, which has a harsher environment and severe water scarcity, the region could focus on a high intake of legumes and vegetables rather than its existing very high consumption of red meat, the study said.

In the east, known for its "affluent agricultural culture and developed aquaculture", a higher intake of whole grains, seafood and vegetables was recommended for its residents.

China's health commission did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The recommended diets work for the prevention of "obesity and cardio-metabolic diseases," said Liu Yan, one of the authors of the study, adding that they help reduce premature mortality and disability, and ensure nutritional requirements for residents.

Not only China but also other developing nations facing similar health and environmental challenges could benefit from the roadmap for the diet, the scientists said in the study.

Brent Loken, global food lead scientist for the World Wildlife Fund, said the study provided a promising way forward for developing countries, including India and Kenya.

"Adopting these planetary health diet variants could serve as a viable strategy for dietary shifts in China to achieve both human health and environmental sustainability goals... with lessons translatable to other countries around the world," he said.