Miniature Oxygen Generators Aid In Cancer Treatments

Purdue University research engineers have developed miniature oxygen generators which will aid in cancer treatments by boosting the killing power of radiation and chemotherapy. The technology will be useful in treating the solid tumors that are hypoxic at the center (which means that the oxygen levels are low at the center). Babak Ziaie, a Purdue University professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering mentions that the radiation therapy needs oxygen as the hypoxic areas are harder to kill. The oxygen generators developed by the team will increase the effectiveness of the cancer treatment.


This diagram shows the design of a miniature device that can be implanted in tumors to generate oxygen, boosting the killing power of radiation and chemotherapy. (Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University)

The device is called "implementable oxygen generator". It's an electronic device that accepts the ultrasound signal and uses energy to generate small voltage to carry out electrolysis; that is it separates hydrogen and oxygen from water. Engineers are successful in putting these tiny oxygen generators inside the tumors to be treated and then expose it to the ultrasound. Further details of this project are available Tiny oxygen generators boost effectiveness of anticancer treatment.