New Invention Detects Cancer in Seconds

Technology is being developed in Austin, Texas, to make cancer detection faster and tumor removal more precise. A device called the MasSpec Pen can detect cancer with just one touch, researchers said.

A person preparing for breast cancer screening by mammography. Image credit: U.S. Navy

“Well, it’s a game changer because I was doing a case the other day with a surgeon, and we had to wait an additional two hours because the current method takes that long,” said Aydin Zahedivash, medical student and co-creator of the MasSpec Pen.

He says the pen can deliver results within 20 seconds and is much less invasive for the patient than the traditional method of diagnosis.

No biopsy needed

“That process usually will involve taking out some of the tissue, which means cutting it from a patient. Our technology can detect cancer inside of a tissue without cutting it or altering it,” Zahedivash said.

During surgery, a drop of water on the pen pulls molecules from the tissue in question. An instrument called the mass spectrometer then analyzes the water with the molecules to determine whether cancer is present in the tissue. It adds precision to detecting the disease. In seconds, surgeons will know what part of the tissue to extract, how much to cut, and what not to touch so healthy tissue is not damaged.

“We’ve done testing on human tissues that have been taken out of patients and those have shown 96 percent accuracy detecting cancer from non-cancer,” Zahedivash said.

Rapid development

New available technologies have allowed an interdisciplinary team to develop the MasSpec Pen in 2½ years. The team 3-D printed the prototype, allowing the creators to rapidly develop a design that worked.

Zahedivash said within the year, the MasSpec Pen will be tested in surgery at the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. There are also plans to test the technology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

The device would require approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before becoming widely available. (VOA/Elizabeth Lee)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Vitamin D may protect against pollution-associated asthma symptoms in obese children

A new study finds vitamin D may be protective among asthmatic obese children living in urban environments with high indoor air pollution.

Daily folic acid supplement may reduce risk of gestational diabetes

Taking a folic acid supplement daily before pregnancy may reduce the risk of gestational, or pregnancy-related, diabetes, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

Obesity May Influence Rheumatoid Arthritis Blood Tests

New research reveals that in women, obesity may influence blood tests used to diagnose and monitor rheumatoid arthritis. The findings indicate that physicians need to take obesity into account when using these tests.

Heart disease risk begins in the womb

Offspring whose mothers had a complicated pregnancy may be at greater risk of heart disease in later life, according to a new study in sheep. The research, led by a team at the University of Cambridge, suggests that our cards may be marked even before we are born.

Anti-inflammatory Drugs Also Fight Depression

Drugs that are used to treat a number of autoimmune diseases appear to treat symptoms of depression as well. The finding of a new study suggests that anti-inflammatories, as they are known, may take their place alongside conventional treatments to help people with depression.

Salty Diet Makes You Hungry, Not Thirsty

New studies show that salty food diminishes thirst while increasing hunger, due to a higher need for energy.