Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 24: In a breakthrough that could pave the way for safer and more precise cancer treatments, scientists from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have developed microscopic metal particles capable of killing cancer cells while leaving healthy ones unharmed.

The study, published in Advanced Science and reported by Xinhua, is still in its early stages and has so far been tested only in cell cultures. However, researchers say the findings reveal a promising new direction for targeted cancer therapies that exploit the inherent weaknesses of cancer cells.

The RMIT-led international team engineered nanodots — ultra-small particles made from molybdenum oxide, a compound derived from the rare metal molybdenum commonly used in electronics and industrial alloys. By fine-tuning their chemical properties, the scientists designed the particles to release reactive oxygen molecules — unstable oxygen forms that damage cancer cells and induce their self-destruction.

In laboratory tests, the nanodots destroyed three times more cervical cancer cells than healthy ones within 24 hours — and notably, they did so without requiring light activation, unlike many existing oxidative stress-based therapies.

“Cancer cells already live under high stress. Our particles push that stress just a bit further — enough to make them self-destruct — while healthy cells cope perfectly well,” explained Zhang Baoyue, lead author from RMIT’s School of Engineering.

The researchers believe that technologies like this, which selectively induce stress in cancer cells, could form the foundation of gentler and more effective treatments compared to conventional chemotherapy and radiation, which often harm healthy tissue.

Another major advantage is cost and safety — the nanodots are made from common metal oxides rather than expensive or toxic noble metals such as gold or silver, making large-scale development more feasible.

While further testing in animals and humans is still required, experts say this innovation represents a significant step toward next-generation cancer therapies that are both targeted and less toxic.