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Disinfectant Breakthrough: Hydrogen Peroxide Transforms Cancer Treatment
19 Aug
Summary
- NHS trials test hydrogen peroxide to improve breast cancer radiotherapy
- Disinfectant gel injection boosts oxygen levels, making cancer cells more vulnerable
- Potential to treat other solid tumors with this novel approach
Five years after US President Donald Trump's controversial suggestion about injecting disinfectant to treat COVID-19, NHS researchers have uncovered a promising medical application for the household chemical. A clinical trial at The Institute of Cancer Research in London is investigating whether injecting small amounts of hydrogen peroxide into breast tumors could boost the effectiveness of radiotherapy treatment.
The trial, involving over 180 patients at five NHS hospitals, is examining if a slow-release hydrogen peroxide gel can lead to radiotherapy killing more cancer cells. The idea is that the disinfectant increases oxygen levels in the tumor, making the cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation. This is crucial, as low oxygen levels in tumors often make them resistant to radiotherapy.
Early results from a dozen volunteers with inoperable breast cancer have found the treatment to be safe and effective, improving the tumor-shrinking effects of radiotherapy. Researchers believe this disinfectant therapy could also work on other solid tumors treated with radiation, with trials in cervical and head and neck cancer already in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, scientists in Canada and the US are exploring other innovative uses of hydrogen peroxide, from treating common skin cancers to helping chronic wounds heal. As the medical community continues to uncover the surprising potential of this household chemical, the future of cancer treatment may lie in an unexpected place.
