- Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) developed a swallowable pill that raises the accuracy of radiotherapy doses for gastric cancer patients.
- Without the newly developed pill, patients would be subjected to high-energy X-rays to kill the destructive cancer cells.
- Typically, x-ray treatment is delivered outside a patient's body
The National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a swallowable pill that would raise the accuracy of radiotherapy doses for gastric cancer patients who are otherwise subjected to high-energy X-rays in order to kill off the destructive cells.
A team of scientists from the university's Faculty of Science's Department of Chemistry worked together with researchers from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, and Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology. They were able to invent a dosimeter in the form of a capsule.
Researchers Develop Pill for More Accurate Radiotherapy
In a statement, the principal investigator of the project, Professor Liu Xiaogang, said that radiation therapy is commonly delivered outside of a person's body to their skin, muscles, and bones, as per the Straits Times.
He added that current measuring devices are usually placed directly at or near an individual's skin to estimate the amount of radiation in the target area. However, they do not consider the radiation that has been absorbed by the patient's body.
Liu noted that the capsule, which is 1.8 centimeters long and 0.7 centimeters wide, is now one of the smaller sizes available in the market. It can accurately measure the amount of radiation delivered outside a person's body.
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The newly-developed pill also contains nano-sized scintillators that are made of hyper-sensitive materials that may generate light from X-ray radiation. An internal sensor then measures this emitted light.
The pill was created to address various challenges in modern radiotherapy, including precision in targeting tumor tissue while minimizing the damage done to healthy tissue. Other factors include low efficacy and variable outcomes, according to Biospectrum Asia.
Monitoring Radiation Dose Among Gastric Cancer Patients
These difficulties are often caused by patient diversity, treatment uncertainty, and differences in delivery types. The pill is also relatively accessible, costing $50 to produce, and was designed to monitor radiotherapy doses for gastric cancer. However, it can also be used to monitor treatment done for different malignancies.
The team responsible for the pill is working on bringing their innovation to clinical application and is expected to conduct further research. They will identify the capsule's position and posture after a patient ingests it and will develop a robust positioning system to anchor the pill at the intended target site.
Liu said that their novel capsule is considered to be a "game-changer" in providing affordable and effective monitoring of radiotherapy treatment. He added that it could provide quality assurance that the correct amount of radiation is given to patients.
The pill can also be customized, making it smaller and enabling health experts to place it in the rectum for prostate cancer brachytherapy. On the other hand, it can be placed in the upper nasal cavity for nasopharyngeal or brain tumor treatments, said NUS News.
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