The Fight Against Cancer Cells Has Become Even More Effective: An Innovative Discovery by Israeli Scientists

The invention developed by a group of scientists from Tel Aviv University will allow for the removal of malignant tumours with greater precision, minimizing the possibility of damaging healthy tissues. The results of this discovery have become a real breakthrough in the field of oncology and were published in one of the authoritative global scientific journals, Theranostics.

At the leading research center and one of the largest educational institutions in Israel, Tel Aviv University, a sensor was developed that enables high-precision differentiation of cancer cells. A highly sensitive agent, administered to the patient a few hours before surgery, triggers a reaction in atypical molecules, causing them to literally glow. This helps doctors more clearly define the boundaries of the malignant neoplasm and remove all cancer cells from the pathological focus.

The research was led by renowned Israeli professor Ronit Sachi-Fainaro, who has already made revolutionary discoveries, including a drug that halts the progression of cancer. Together with doctoral students from Tel Aviv University (Yana Epstein, Rachel Blau, and Evgeny Pisarevsky), the professor invented a method not just to block the spread of malignant cells but to destroy them completely, minimizing the likelihood of disease recurrence.

The Essence of the Discovery

Based on the results of previously conducted studies, the group of scientists identified one of the significant differences in cancer cells, namely the increased content of enzymes from the cathepsin group. In healthy cells, they are present in small amounts and can recognize specific amino acid sequences and subsequently cleave them. This characteristic is the basis for the invented method of differentiating tumour cells.

Experiments were conducted on laboratory mice that were induced with two oncopathologies (melanoma and breast cancer), which provoke the development of metastases in the lungs and brain. The test subjects were also divided into two groups. One group had their neoplasms removed using the conventional method, without the use of the sensor, while the other group underwent removal using the invented method of visualizing cancer cells.

The results were truly impressive. Among the mice in the first group, the 120-day survival rate was only 40%. Many of them experienced disease recurrence and the emergence of metastases. The survival rates in the second group were twice as high, with about 80% of the rodents surviving 120 days post-surgery.

What the Discovery by Israeli Scientists Offers

Although some visualization methods for malignant cells are already used in oncological practice, the invention by Israeli scientists is more progressive and effective. Compared to other sensors used in operating rooms during tumour removal, the new method works much faster (the substance is administered only 4 hours before the surgical intervention), and its specificity to atypical molecules is significantly higher.

It is expected that once surgeries begin to be performed en masse using this sensor, the survival rates of cancer patients will significantly increase. Furthermore, many of them will have a better chance of complete recovery. Currently, the scientists are engaged in patent registration and negotiations with medical companies to expand trials and refine the method.