Cold plasma rays can destroy hidden cancer cells

German scientists have demonstrated that cold plasma can penetrate deep into tumors and attack cancer cells, and discovered that molecules with very short lifetimes in the plasma are the key agents - contrary to long-standing assumptions about the role of hydrogen peroxide.

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), in collaboration with the University Hospital Greifswald and the University Medical Center Rostock, say cold plasma can destroy tumor cells even in deep tissue layers.

A key achievement of the project was the development of new tissue models that, for the first time, allowed detailed monitoring of how specific components of plasma affect cancer cells.

Plasma is an ionized gas that produces large numbers of chemically active molecules, collectively called reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. These short-lived molecules can exert powerful influence on biological processes, including determining whether tumor cells survive or die.

“The effects of plasma in tissue are complex and poorly understood,” said Lea Miebach, lead author of the study. “So we developed a 3D hydrogel model that mimics real tumor tissue. In this model, we were able to observe exactly how deeply the plasma molecules penetrate, and which molecules are important for their effects on tumor cells.”

The results showed that particularly short-lived molecules like peroxynitrite can penetrate several millimeters into tissue. Meanwhile, hydrogen peroxide – previously considered the main active ingredient in laboratory research – showed limited effectiveness: even when hydrogen peroxide was deliberately removed, the plasma's effect remained strong.

The team also tested a model that simulated post-surgical adjuvant therapy: residual tumor cells at the edges of an artificial “incision” were treated with plasma. The results showed a strong killing effect, especially on cells that had invaded surrounding tissue – suggesting the potential to reduce the risk of recurrence after surgery.

“Our results could significantly improve the use of plasma in medicine,” said Professor Sander Bekeschus, PhD, Head of the Plasma Medicine Research Program at INP. “The better we understand which molecules are active in tissues, the more precisely plasma devices can be used for each type of cancer.”

The study used a medically approved plasma device called the “kINPen”. In the long term, this method could contribute to making treatment more effective and gentler for patients./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/tia-plasma-lanh-co-the-tieu-diet-te-bao-ung-thu-an-sau-post1060475.vnp