Combo of gold and tea may effectively treat cancer better than chemo

Gold may have more than just monetary value. It may be an effective tool against fighting deadly forms of cancer as well.

Scientists from the University of Missouri have discovered a way to target prostate tumors by using radioactive gold nanoparticles in combination with a compound found in tea leaves. They say the treatment could be drastically less harmful than chemotherapy options.

Currently, cancer patients require large doses of chemotherapy to help eradicate their cancer cells. However, while the chemicals help to shrink tumors, they also spread throughout other parts of the body, harming vital organs and causing various adverse health effects.

According to this most recent study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the new gold/tea treatment would require doses that are thousands of times smaller than typical chemotherapy. The compound also travels directly to the tumor’s source without spreading throughout the rest of the body and causing harm to other areas.