Scientists discover unexpected way to kill cancer cells

Weightlessness (microgravity) can destroy cancer cells isolated from aggressive and intractable tumors, said scientists at the University of Technology Sydney, Science Alert reported.

Scientists have tested the effect of microgravity on malignant cells that were in capsules inside a spinning centrifuge. It turned out that under zero gravity conditions, 80-90% of ovarian, breast, nose and lung cancer cells stopped growing without using any drugs.

This can be explained by the fact that cancer cells must mechanically interact with each other for growth and development, but this was not possible with microgravity.

Now, scientists plan to conduct a 7-day experiment aboard the ISS in a specially designed space module that will be delivered by the SpaceX rocket. After the experiment is completed, the cells will be frozen and returned to Earth, after which scientists will begin genetic analysis. If the results confirm the initial conclusions of the researchers, this will make it possible to develop new treatment methods that mimic the effect of microgravity.

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