UAMS, UALR Researchers: Tiny tubes could help fight cancer (UALR Public Radio) - Researchers at two Arkansas universities say they've found a way to use tiny tubes to target cancer cells for laser incineration.

Alex Biris of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Vladimir Zharov of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences presented their findings at a news conference Monday. They say the carbon nanotubes can latch onto cancer cells and be watched in living tissue.

The researchers say they can pinpoint individual cancer cells and destroy them using lasers so precise, they can kill the bad cells without injuring the good ones.

Such an advance could prove groundbreaking for cancer treatment. However, the researchers acknowledge more tests are needed to see if the carbon nanotubes could be toxic to humans.

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