.png)
By Maria Bunduc
Introduction
The brain, the most complex organ in the body, is the headquarter of consciousness, emotions, and the entire organism's functions; this makes it so vulnerable, and prone to several serious diseases. Treatments developed so far present many risks, limitations, and struggle to reach certain areas because of the blood-brain barrier, a membrane that protects the brain from harmful substances. Depending on the location, the type of cancer, and how advanced it is, surgery would be the most effective option. However, new technology, such as nano- and microrobots, microscopic machines administered by injection, can potentially overcome the challenges encountered in treating brain diseases.
What are nanorobots?
The Nobel Physicist Richard P. Feynman, in 1959, proposed using nanorobots as micron-scale equipment of machines that could help treat various illnesses. Nanorobots, known as nanobots, are microscopic devices designed to operate tasks at the nanoscale, i.e. one billionth of a meter. Their size varies between 0.1 and 10 micrometers, and to visualize how small they are: the thickness of a strand of hair is 1000 times greater. This small size offers the benefit of high precision and adaptability to the environment. They are still in the theoretical concept stage but hold immense potential for fields such as biotechnology, molecular biology, and medicine. Scientists have envisioned that the materials from which they would be made would be biocompatible and equipped with sensors that would detect and release killer drug nanoparticles that target cancer cells, but also have a source of power to navigate the bloodstream.
What is brain cancer and why is it so hard to treat?
Brain cancer is a type of brain tumor which represents the abnormal growth of cells in the brain. These cells can be cancerous, malignant, or benign non-cancerous. There are over 120 types of brain tumors, and they can appear anywhere in the brain, making the treatment challenging and risky. The complexity of the treatment is due to vital structures such as blood vessels and nerves that protect the brain. Surgery can damage tissues and have serious side effects that can put the patient's life in danger. Unfortunately, some forms of cancer can be very aggressive and spread quickly and despite the efforts made by researchers to find a treatment, this disease remains a leading cause of death for patients.
Why are nanorobots important to us?
The discoveries in medical technology are meant to become the new super effective and improved treatments that will save a lot of people in the future. It is important to remain curious and innovative to find suitable solutions and build machines that make our lives easier and possible in extreme cases of health. The fact that researchers came up with this idea of nanorobots means a lot for the bioengineering progress of mankind, which brings us one step closer to futuristic scenarios in which people become immortal cyborgs or at least, in which cancer is no longer an incurable and cruel disease. And who knows, maybe soon we will be able to opt for nanorobot treatments instead of invasive surgery.
Conclusion
Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of nanobots to revolutionize cancer treatments, even if there are still some significant obstacles to overcome before researchers succeed in making this a reality. This work paves the way for future studies and incredible discoveries that could save many people from suffering and offer them a normal and happy life.
References
Comments