US Scientists Unlock 125-Year-Old Element Actinium for Advanced Cancer Treatments

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Samir Kumar Mandal

7/16/20241 min read

US Scientists Decode 125-Year-Old Element That Could Improve Cancer Treatments

US scientists have made a big discovery. They have decoded an element that could help in the fight against cancer. This element, called actinium, was first found 125 years ago.

Actinium: A Historical Element

Actinium was discovered in 1899 by a French scientist named Andre-Louis Debierne. It is number 89 on the Periodic Table. For many years, actinium has been a mystery. It is rare and found in very small amounts. Special labs are needed to work with it.

Rceent Breakthrough

Scientists at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found new uses for actinium. They believe it can improve cancer treatments. This discovery could save many lives around the world.

What Makes Actinium Special?

Actinium is radioactive. When it decays, it emits particles. These particles can kill cancer cells. Scientists have focused on a specific form of actinium called actinium-225. This form is used in a method called targeted alpha therapy (TAT). How Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT) Works

TAT is a way to deliver radioactive elements directly to cancer cells. Scientists use biological delivery systems like peptides or antibodies. These systems transport actinium-225 to the cancer site. When actinium-225 decays, it releases energetic particles. These particles kill the cancer cells but do not harm nearby healthy tissue.

Advantages of TAT

  • 1. Precision: TAT targets only cancer cells. This reduces damage to healthy cells.

  • 2. Effectiveness: TAT is promising for cancers that resist other treatments.

  • 3. Fewer Side Effects: Because it targets only cancer cells, patients experience fewer side effects.

Future Research and Clinical Trials

Scientists are working to make TAT more effective. They are trying to engineer proteins that bind strongly to actinium. These proteins can then be fused with antibodies or other targeting proteins. This will help in developing new radiopharmaceuticals.

Expert Opinion

Rebecca Abergel, an associate professor of nuclear engineering at the University of California-Berkeley, is optimistic. She believes that engineering proteins to bind with actinium could lead to new ways to treat cancer.

Conclusion

The decoding of actinium is a major breakthrough. It offers new hope for cancer treatments. Actinium-225 and targeted alpha therapy could become key tools in the fight against cancer. As research continues, scientists hope to turn this potential into reality. This discovery shows how science can revisit old elements and find new, life-saving uses for them.