Cures for Cancer With Radio Waves

Radio-wave therapy is showing promise as a potential cure for cancer, although more research is needed to confirm its efficacy. A technique developed by radio entrepreneur John Kanzius uses radio waves in conjunction with nanotechnology to target cancer cells in the body without damaging healthy tissue.

• The power of the invisible radio wave.

Radio Waves

• Kanzius began searching for a cancer cure after he was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in 2002. He went through 36 chemotherapy treatments, and each one left him sicker than before. Drawing on his background in radio and electrical engineering, he came up with a theory: Coat cancer cells with a conductive substance that would heat up in response to noninvasive radio waves, wiping out the cancer in the process. This method would leave healthy cells, organs and tissues alone and potentially could eliminate the need for surgery or chemotherapy. It also potentially has minimal, if any, side effects.

Nanotechnology

• Kanzius tested his theory by putting minerals such as copper in hot dogs and experimenting to see if radio waves would zap them. His work drew notice from researcher Dr. Steven Curley of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Curley suggested using carbon nanotubes instead of minerals. These miniscule tubes--so small that they are tinier even than a fraction of the width of a human hair--are good heat conductors.

Research

• Early studies using the Kanzius technique along with nanotechnology showed that it destroyed liver tumors in rabbits, according to CBS News. Some nanotubes leaked into surrounding areas, though, damaging healthy tissue. Finding a way to make the nanotubes bind only to cancer cells has been a challenge for researchers.

Considerations

• Kanzius passed away in early 2009 from pneumonia related to his chemotherapy treatments, but Curley is continuing radio-wave therapy research, using gold nanoparticles to target cancer cells. Researchers also are studying different antibodies that help bind the nanoparticles only to cancer cells. Human clinical trials are still years away.

Other Theories

• Australian researcher Dr. John Holt developed a different type of radio-wave therapy, using specific radio frequencies to target cancer cells instead of nanotechnology. His method has not been researched independently, so it is unclear how effective it is at treating cancer. Nevertheless, a clinic in Claremont, Western Australia, offers this therapy as an alternative for cancer patients.