Scientists create radio lens to enhance cancer treatment without harming healthy tissues

The lens can be used in Hyperthermia - a treatment against cancer that involves heating cancerous cells using microwave beams. Healthcare professionals have faced this challenge for a long time, of placing it as close to body as possible without damaging any healthy tissues. The new lens can be placed alongside the body.

Researchers say that positioning the device closer to the body will ensure the beam is focused on the right spot. Since beams were placed at a short distance, it meant some of non-ionising radiation gets reflected off the body. Now, these applicators can be placed alongside the body.

The institute said in a release, “Among the significant innovations that these lenses bring to market is lowering the cost and extreme precision required in manufacturing them. In contrast, the traditional approach that is widely in use today is to create a lens of precisely shaped material.”

Researchers developed a new method to make a lens by baking separate layers of material with focus on different properties and stacking them together. With higher frequencies, beams can be focused more precisely, thus reducing damage to healthy tissues.

They added that these significant innovations that these lenses bring to market are lowering cost and extreme precision required in manufacturing them. It has shown amazing results in more than 4 decades, and is successfully applied along with radiotherapy / chemotherapy for treatment of many types of tumours.