Medical applications cancer treatment

Because of its antiviral and anticancer effects, IFN-a is used in the treatment of hepatitis and various forms of cancer, such as Kaposi s sarcoma, non-Hodgkin s lymphoma, and hairy cell leukemia. Exhibit 4.8 describes the treatment of hepatitis C with IFN- . IFN-jS is used for treating multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease of the nervous system. The medical application of IFN-y is for cancer, AIDS, and leprosy. 

Once radioactive decay starts, it continues until all the atoms have reached a stable state. The radioisotope can only be shielded to prevent exposure to the radiation. The most common applications of gamma rays are sterilization of single-use medical supplies, elimination of organisms from pharmaceuticals, microbial reduction in and on consumer products, cancer treatment, and processing of polymers (cross-linking, polymerization, degradation etc.). 

Strontium-90 has medical applications. For example, it is used to control pain. People who have cancer of the bone often experience terrible pain. At one time, the only treatment was medication. But those drugs often had unpleasant side-effects, such as nausea, dizziness, or depression. 

A few salts of rubidium and cesium find application—for example the use of rubidium carbonate (Rb2C03) and cesium carbonate (Cs2C03) in the manufacture of glass and ceramics. Cesium fluoride (CsF) and cesium iodide (Csl) absorb X-rays and gamma rays and can be used in medical diagnostic equipment. In the form of cesium chloride (CsCl), the radioactive isotope cesium 137 is a source of gamma rays used in cancer treatment. In addition, cesium 137 is used in educational physics laboratory classes to study radioactivity. 

While the supply of Taxol is generally meeting demand for cnrrently approved cancer treatments and clinical trials, researchers are discovering an increasing nnmber of other medical applications that will increase demand. Paclitaxel has shown promise for the treatment of psoriasis, polycystic kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer s, among others [93]. 

Although the use of radiotherapy glass spheres in treating liver cancer is still at a relatively early stage the results appear promising. The commercially available product called TheraSphere made by MDS Nordion is approved in the United States and Canada for treating patients with inoperable liver cancer. Other medical applications for these glass spheres have been considered such as the treatment of cancers of the kidney and brain. 

Liposomes form spontaneously when lipids are dispersed in aqueous media. They consist of a bilayer membrane which captures a pool of water in its center. The practical value of liposomes derives from two unioue properties 1) their ability to entrap either water-soluble materials in tne internal water reservoir or liposoluble compounds in the lipid bilayer and 2) their compatibility witn natural membranes, making them safe for medical application. They have attracted considerable interest as delivery systems, such as carriers of drugs to specific targets in the treatment of cancer tumors and in enzyme therapy (1) and in various diagnostic tests using fluorescent makers (2) and radiolabels (3). Liposomes are fragile structures created in water as a result of a delicate balance of interacting forces which arise when amphiphilic compounds are added to water. In most practical applications liposomes have to be... 

Common Uses. One of the most common uses of radioactive materials is in medicine, where they have been used since about 1900. Radioactive materials are used in most hospitals and in many small clinics for two different types of medical applications. The first is diagnosis, during whieh a small amount of radioactive material is injected into a person. As the amount of radioaetive material used does not cause harm to the person, these uses have not resulted in any serious emergencies. The second type of medical use is for treatment. During treatment, radioaetive material is used, in most cases, to destroy cancer cells or tissue. If the sources ean kUl or destroy cancers or other organs, they ean also cause injury or death if improperly eontroUed. 

Various types of novel materials based on inorganic substances have been developed for biomedical applications over the last three decades. Some of them already play an important, and indispensable role in repairing bone defects, and in cancer treatments. New, advanced ceramic-based materials are expected to be developed for minimally invasive medical treatments in the future. 

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