A new lab-on-a-chip platform capable of detecting protein cancer markers in the blood has been developed by a team of researchers.
The device built by an international team of researchers, led by ICFO- Institute of Photonic Sciences in Castelldefels, is able to detect very low concentrations of protein cancer markers in blood, enabling diagnoses of the disease in its earliest stages.
Lifetime Risk Calculator for Cancers
What are your chances for developing some common cancers in your lifetime - find out now.
Advertisement
The detection of cancer in its very early stages is seen as key to the successful diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
This cancer-tracking nano-device shows great promise as a tool for future cancer treatments, not only because of its reliability, sensitivity and potential low cost, but also because of its easy carry-on portable properties, which is foreseen to facilitate effective diagnosis and suitable treatment procedures in remote places with difficult access to hospitals or medical clinics.
![Quiz on Cancer]( "Quiz on Cancer")
Cancer, is the second most leading cause of death worldwide. Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Take this quiz on and test how much you know about cancer.
Although very compact (only a few square centimeters), the lab-on-a-chip hosts various sensing sites distributed across a network of fluidic micro-channels that enables it to conduct multiple analyses.
Gold nano-particles lie on the surface of the chip and are chemically programed with an antibody receptor in such a way that they are capable of specifically attracting the protein markers circulating in blood.
When a drop of blood is injected into the chip, it circulates through the micro-channels and if cancer markers are present in the blood, they will stick to the nano-particles located on the micro-channels as they pass by, setting off changes in what is known as the "plasmonic resonance".
The device monitors these changes, the magnitude of which are directly related to the concentration/number of markers in the patient blood thus providing a direct assessment of the risk for the patient to develop a cancer.
Source: ANI
Quiz on Cancer
Cancer, is the second most leading cause of death worldwide. Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Take this quiz on and test how much you know about cancer.
Advertisement
Although very compact (only a few square centimeters), the lab-on-a-chip hosts various sensing sites distributed across a network of fluidic micro-channels that enables it to conduct multiple analyses.
Gold nano-particles lie on the surface of the chip and are chemically programed with an antibody receptor in such a way that they are capable of specifically attracting the protein markers circulating in blood.
When a drop of blood is injected into the chip, it circulates through the micro-channels and if cancer markers are present in the blood, they will stick to the nano-particles located on the micro-channels as they pass by, setting off changes in what is known as the "plasmonic resonance".
The device monitors these changes, the magnitude of which are directly related to the concentration/number of markers in the patient blood thus providing a direct assessment of the risk for the patient to develop a cancer.
Source: ANI
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Reading
Latest Cancer News
A new study assessed the association of cigarette smoking and vaping on cancer-related symptom burden (fatigue, pain, emotional problems) and quality of life.
Scientists are making strides in personalized breast cancer therapy by developing a highly accurate molecular classifier test for breast cancer patients.
Experts suggest high-income countries implement a comprehensive risk-based approach for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
New study identifies the role of metabolic comorbidities such as obesity in contributing to the immunogenicity of oral cancer through the immune pathway STING-IFN-I.
Recent clinical trial results have shown that reducing the dose and duration of radiotherapy treatments for anal cancer may result in fewer side effects.