Bubbly oxygen drink could aid cancer treatments

A drink containing oxygen microbubbles is being developed to make treatment of hard to reach tumours easier.

When tumours grow in the body they adapt to low-oxygen environments, as they often grow at a faster rate than surrounding blood vessels, meaning they are harder to treat using either radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Researchers at Oxford and Ulster University are looking at methods to increase the amount of oxygen that can reach these cells, as this would increase the likelihood of successful cancer treatment.

Professor Eleanor Stride, a Cancer Research UK scientist at Oxford University said: “We’re especially excited about the potential this bubbly drink could have for hard to treat cancers like pancreatic cancer, where survival rates are low and better treatments are urgently needed. We’ve had success in the lab in mice, so we’re now looking at how to scale this up for patients.”

Current methods to oxygenate tumours in cancer patients include injecting liquids full of oxygen into the tumour site, breathing pure oxygen and putting patients in oxygen chambers. While effective, side effects include damage to the lung surface and nervous system. The researchers have said this new approach could have fewer risks, can be used in conjunction with other treatments and may be cheaper. The research is being funded through Cancer Research’s UK Pioneer Award scheme which grants up to £200,00 to encourage inventive ways to fight cancer.

Dr Ian Foulkes, executive director for research funding at Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re investing in pioneering ways to improve survival for patients. Professor Stride and her team are thinking outside the box, and this is just the sort of innovation we want to spark through our Pioneer Awards scheme. By being bold we aim to make a difference.”