However, the technique would be limited to tumours that are accessible to light. Prof Wardman said that in the future it might be possible for a surgeon to remove a tumour in theatre and, while the patient is still on the table, shine the red light on the surrounding tissue for a few minutes to eradicate any remaining cancer. The work has been successful in many tumour cell lines in the laboratory and Prof Wardman said the next step would be animal studies, with human trials still some years away. This type of work is vital because it is selective. It binds to tumour cells and doesn't affect normal dividing cells.
Selective treatments are the way forward.