A "smart bomb" can easily locate aggressive cancer cells and destroy them when activated by light.

According to Medical Xpress, a research team from the University of California, Riverside, and Michigan State University (USA) has developed a new light-sensitive chemical they call a "smart bomb," promising a breakthrough in cancer treatment.

This "smart bomb" is a cyanine-carborane salt, designed to be used as a new agent in photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy involves introducing a light-sensitive chemical into the patient’s body, which accumulates in cancer cells. The patient is then exposed to light, activating the chemical and causing it to destroy the diseased cells.

Light exposure triggers the production of highly reactive oxygen molecules—similar to tiny biochemical firecrackers—that break down cancer cells from within while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

This is a valuable therapy that has been used for decades to treat certain types of skin and bladder cancers.

However, it has some drawbacks, including slow clearance of the chemicals, leading to prolonged light sensitivity, poor tissue penetration, and off-target toxicity. These issues can make tumors harder to eliminate completely, increasing the risk of recurrence.

The cyanine-carborane salt developed by the U.S. research team aims to overcome these limitations.

The researchers also tested it on another form of cancer—metastatic breast cancer. Laboratory studies and tests on mice have shown promising results.

"Cyanine-carborane salt helps minimize these challenges, offering a safer and more precise method," said Professor Sophia Lunt from Michigan State University, one of the lead authors.

This chemical clears from the body much faster than previously used light-sensitive agents, remaining only in cancer cells that need treatment.

The successful trial on metastatic breast cancer is especially significant, as breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).