Remember the magic capsules you had as a child that grew into animal-shaped sponges once placed in water? Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota are taking that same idea and using it to better treat cancer patients.

Lichun Lu and Xifeng Lu, scientists at the Mayo Clinic's college of medicine, have developed special biodegradable polymer bone grafts that will grow to a specific size and shape once surgically placed in the body. The research was presented today at the American Chemical Society's spring meeting in San Diego.

"We are working on a solution to improve surgical cancer treatments," Lu said Tuesday. "Removing spinal tumors sometimes requires removing surrounding bone/discs. We've created a spongy cage to fill the void in the spine."

After the injection, the graft will be completely secure and eventually surrounding bone tissue will grow into it.