Cancer is killing people across the world and there is a significant rise in the number of deaths that are caused by cancer. We are all aware that the cancer detection and treatment as well as life expectancy has lot of do with the stage of detection. The earlier you detect it the more the life expectancy and possibility of eliminating it completely. Here is some good news in the regard. Researchers at MIT have recently found a way to detect cancer at an early stage which always has been a challenge as the particular proteins that cancer cells secrete are not easy to detect, thus aiding cancer growth prior discovery.
Now there is a breakthrough in cancer research at MIT wherein, using nanotechnology, researchers can make tests to detect potential life threatening conditions like Alzheimer’s, cancer and more in the early stage. They used the nano-technology in the blood scanner. It is especially useful in detection on cancers within the body like ovarian, pancreatic and lung cancer including 100 types.
Presently, the most popular method of detecting cancer is MRI scan, CT scan or a biopsy. But, the fact still remains that even these technologies aren’t able to detect micro-metasteses or micro tumors due to the minute size of them. Using Nanotechnology though, practitioners can effectively detect them and find out where the cancer is growing and spreading. These light emitting nano particles allow tracking of cancer in real time. The results are based on the research that was carried out by a team on a mouse model with human breast cancer. They injected the nano-probes, tiny X-ray using optical devices for detecting micro-tumors. These probes move around or commute through the blood stream and locate the cancer cells where-ever there are. These work quite faster than MRI and have the ability to identify micro-tumors in suprarenal, adrenal, bones and other animal glands.
In a nutshell, the researchers believe that they have been able to find the address of cancer now, as it can detect withing the first five years itself, if used. If this projection works in humans well then it will help save many lives.
Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital is one of the leading cancer hospitals in Bangalore