Scientists develop method to make cancer cells produce their own drugs

Scientists have developed a new cancer treatment strategy that uses carbon monoxide naturally produced by tumor cells to create powerful drugs within the cancer cells themselves, according to ScienceDaily Health.

This experimental approach, led by researchers at the RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute in Japan, aims to selectively attack cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, potentially reducing the side effects of traditional chemotherapy.

In laboratory tests, the team demonstrated that a specially designed compound could induce drug production inside cancer cells without producing toxic substances in healthy cells.

The method leverages carbon monoxide, a gas produced in higher amounts by many cancer cells, to activate relatively harmless compounds that become therapeutic drugs only inside tumors.

While still in early stages, this technique could offer a safer alternative to conventional cancer treatments by targeting tumors more precisely and minimizing damage to healthy cells.