Sound Waves Kill Skin and Prostate Cancer Cells

Anonymous Coward writes "A recent Study in the British Journal of Cancer shows that the use of Quercitin and 20KHz ultrasound for 60 seconds killed skin and prostate cancer cells. 90% of the abnormal cells were dead within 48hrs. Since low frequency ultrasound was previously shown to enhance the skin penetration of topical substances up to 1000 times, it would seem that a topical Quercetin cream with a low frequency ultrasound wand might be just the ticket for those annoying little skin cancers that tend to occur in older geeks who have spent a bit of time in the sun."

Misleading headline

[TeknoHog]

I didn't even RTFA, but it seems from the summary that the sound itself doesn't kill the cancer cells -- it helps the drug penetrate into the tissue.

Re:Picky, picky.

[Anonymous Coward]

"The standard of care for treatment of prostate cancer remains surgery or radiation therapy."

IOW death. Either quickly by poisoning, or slowly from the other cancers the radiation induces.
Thanks, but no thanks.

"If something like this pans out, I predict it will be at least 10 years away"

I have no doubt that, in conventional circles, it will not. Neither quercetin nor
20kHz ultrasound wands require: a prescription, millions of dollars in drug development
money, or are patentable. The economic incentive for big Pharma is not there.

Since 20kHz increases the penetration of topical substances, it should be very easy to
run a trial on skin cancer patients. I doubt such a trial will ever occur. But that fact won't
stop a skin cancer patient from buying some quercetin, dissolving it in fat
(coconut oil woould work), applying it topically, and exposing the area to 20kHz.

Egads! Humans treating themselves for medical issues! The horror! Next they'll be riding
bicycles instead of driving cars! When will it end!