First liver cancer 'chemo-bath' in the UK

A “chemo-bath” which delivers toxic cancer drugs to just one organ in the body has been used on patients in the UK for the first time.

Chemotherapy drugs kill rapidly growing cells such as cancers, but they also attack healthy parts of the body, rather than just the tumor. These drugs are normally injected into the veins of the patients. It results in side effects such as fatigue, feeling sick, hair loss and damage to fertility.

Doctors believe targeting just one organ can prevent side effects. They also say it means they can give higher doses without causing damage to the patient.

Now, two patients in the UK have received chemotherapy focused on just their liver. The operation works by inflating balloons inside blood vessels on either side of the liver to isolate it from the rest of the body. The liver is then pumped full of chemotherapy drugs, which are filtrated out before the liver is reconnected to the main blood supply. It means only a tiny fraction of the chemotherapy dose ends up in the body.

Dr Brian Stedman suggested that any organ which could be easily separated from the blood supply, such as the kidney, pancreas and lungs, would be suitable for this kind of approach. However, he said the method was “in its infancy” and he was “not sure this is the finished product or the end of the story”.

I'm really proud of this move forward because we know that cancer is a terrible desease that some people couldn't exceed it and a lot of people is keeping it. Although, this doctor said that this method is in its infancy, is a light for a lot of people who is ill and a lot of scientists who are studying about this and to improve it, too. I really hope in few years they could have a quite good and sure method to kill cancer just on the affected organs. 

When I saw and read this news I was really impressed for this advance and because few months ago I was thinking to be, in the future, an investigator of cancer cells. I don't want to be now, but it also interests me because is really  usefull for our future descendents and also arouse me something to investigate or to be something related in this world of science. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-20270400