Scientist say they can now use airwaves and sound bubbles to deliver antibiotics to cancer tumours. This relies on a machine that can manoeuvre tiny bubbles with sound waves. The antibiotics are in the bubbles and are moved around the body by vibrations until they reach the site of the cancer and the bubbles are popped.
This can avoid side effects from medication that affects healthy tissue around the area of the cancer. The scientists have already tested this and claim it works through an ultrasound machine which converts electricity into sound wave energy. The bubbles are about 13% of the width of a human hair and can be driven around the body in the same way that magnets control pieces of metal.
When they arrived at the correct location a burst of sound was used to burst the bubbles and release the drugs. As well as moving the bubbles around, they can use ultrasound to track their movement. This could pave the way for more effective drug treatment, needing less medication, and more accurate targeting of the area to be treated.
Cancer drugs such as chemotherapy are ideal for use in this way, as they are harmful to other healthy areas of the body.
This is real sci-fi therapy and very exciting indeed. If this actually manages to become mainstream, it will be revolutionary for the medical profession.