In an ideal world, we would have conquered cancer by now, but sadly, that is not yet the case.
In my small community alone, two women were recently diagnosed with cancer—one in her twenties with primary B-cell lymphoma and one in her fifties with endometrial cancer.
These life-changing diagnoses are all too common, as many of us can attest to having family members or friends suffering from this debilitating disease.
Taking preventative measures is crucial for everyone, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, balanced nutrition, engaging in regular physical activity, fostering positive relationships, ensuring adequate rest, and practicing spiritual exercises for the soul.
However, sometimes these efforts are not enough to stave off cancer.
When faced with this devastating reality, individuals may seek alternative treatments beyond conventional methods or choose a combination of both.
One such innovative treatment involves using a poison called “ricin” in an immunotoxin designed to target and destroy cancer cells.
According to recent research, the use of nanotechnology could play a significant role in further developing this ricin-based anti-cancer technique.
In a clinical trial, 57% of participants experienced a complete response to the therapy, although only three patients achieved that result through immunotoxin application.
Researchers are pleased with the durability of these remissions (>4 years), as approximately 40% of the complete responders maintained their progress over time.
This purging process was tested in high-risk T-cell malignancies, resulting in the complete formation of blood cellular components (hematopoiesis) and a delayed reconstruction of the immune system.
The novel immunotoxin exhibited significant anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects against cancer cells—both factors contribute to the rate of cell death by apoptosis.
The MTT cytotoxicity assay, which measures cell viability, showed that cancer cell lines had a reduced ability to survive after treatment with the immunotoxin.
Further research has revealed that the application of this compound increased apoptosis in cancer cells, leading researchers to conclude that “ricin has potential to be used as a drug for melanoma treatment.” This promising development is bolstered by ricin’s high ranking on the list of natural toxins.
To enhance its effectiveness and limit any negative side effects, researchers have encapsulated ricin within a liposome.
When tested cancer cells engulfed this ricin-liposome complex, it limited their ability to migrate and decreased their invasion potential, as well as their capacity to form tumors.
Consequently, these formulations were found to possess “great anticancer properties” for melanoma and other cancers.
Despite the promising results, there are some challenges to consider.
For example, repeated injections of this immunotoxin might provoke a stronger immune response, making doctors hesitant to use multiple applications.
Additionally, the compound requires purification and isolation directly from the bean for accurate study and application.
The potential risks associated with exposure to ricin must also be acknowledged.
First symptoms can emerge immediately and worsen progressively over the following 4–36 hours.
Death may occur within 36-72 hours of contact, depending on the level of exposure.
While there are certainly challenges and risks involved in developing this treatment further, researchers remain optimistic about the potential for using ricin as a powerful tool in the fight against cancer.