How Nanotech Could Boost Breast Cancer Detection

Scientists have developed an innovative "electronic skin" that can detect and image small lumps in a woman's breast that normal manual exams miss, allowing for earlier detection of breast cancer.

The device has been tested on a breast model made of silicone, and allows doctors to see smaller lumps, and image them to understand whether or not the lump is cancerous, according to a statement from American Chemical Society.

The electronic skin is made out of nanoparticles and polymers that can image small objects. Researchers began testing the device by embedding small tumor-like objects into a piece of silicone, mimicking a breast. They then pressed the electronic skin device against the model, much like a clinical professional would physically examine a patient in a manual exam.

Physical breast examines by a clinical professional can be effective, but typically don't find lumps until they're about 21 millimeters in length, or about four-fifths of an inch. The new electronic skin uses nanotechnology to help detect lumps less than half the size that human hands can. Detecting cancerous lumps when they're still that small can help improve a patient's survival rate by more than 94 percent.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women, and is only curbed by more screenings and earlier detection. Mammography is one of the most common methods of detection, but is less than ideal for younger women, or those with dense breast tissue. Ultrasound and MRI technology are other alternatives, but can be expensive and time consuming. This usually leaves clinical breast exams as the most common detection method for women, but often locates lumps after they've grown to a larger, more dangerous size.

These days there are a few devices that mimic manual exams, but do not possess the imaging technology necessary to determine the shape of a lump, which helps doctors determine whether or not a tumor is cancerous. This is what led researchers to develop a device that could not only detect smaller tumors, but one that could also produce clear images of lumps as well.

Initial trials showed that doctors could detect even the smallest artificial lumps that they implanted into the breast model. The device located lumps as small as 5 millimeters in diameter that are as deep as 20 millimeters in the breast. Researches believe the technology could even pave the way to enhanced screenings for melanoma and other skin cancers. The potential for these tiny nanoparticles could be groundbreaking, as researchers continue to look for avenues to detect and image tumors beneath the skin.

Clinical trials are still in progress as researchers continue to refine the device and prepare it for clinical use. There's no telling how far nanotechnology can push the boundaries of detection, but the implications of early detection could save many lives and completely change the way we detect cancers beneath the skin.

Kristopher Sturgis is a contributor to Qmed and MPMN.

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