New wearable device for measuring cancer tumors

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• Researchers at Stanford University say they are developing a wearable device that can measure cancer tumors.
• Known as FAST, the device incorporates sensors designed to track tumor growth and shrinkage.
• Experts say the device has potential, but it may be more applicable to research than actual clinical practice.

Doctors have more tools than ever to treat cancer, but methods for measuring the size of tumors just under the skin are often primitive.

Pinch testing is often done by hand using simple metal calipers.

But a new device developed by researchers at Stanford University could bring subcutaneous tumor measurements to the 21st century standards.

Called the Tumor Measuring Flexible Autonomous Sensor (FAST), this small, stretchable device can be placed at the tumor site like a patch. Built-in sensors monitor tumor growth or shrinkage.

The battery-powered FAST device operator autonomously and automatically sends readings to a smartphone app.

FAST measures tumors with an accuracy of 1/100th of a millimeter, or 10 microns. Stanford Wearable Electronics Initiativedeveloped the device.

In addition to being accurate and hands-free, FAST promises to improve the speed of tumor measurements, which the developers say will have implications for cancer research and treatment.

“A seemingly simple design” Alex AbramsonPh.D., assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the first author of a study on FAST published in the journal today scientific progress, press statement“However, these inherent advantages should be of great interest to the pharmaceutical and oncology communities. there is potential.”

“Electronic strain sensors are non-invasive and provide real-time information.” AS Dr. Anton BirchikHe is a surgical oncologist and chief of the Department of General Surgery at Providence St. John’s Health Center and chief of medicine at the St. John’s Cancer Institute in California. A more clinical evaluation is needed.”

Dr. Paul HuThe chief medical information officer for City of Hope, a cancer research and care organization in California, told Healthline the device has “a lot of potential,” but it’s probably more research than clinical. be.

“The most important thing about this technology is the ability to monitor. in vivo“The question is, how important is the data? What is the clinical significance of a change of 10 micrometers?”

“This device is interesting and has potential applications in therapeutic monitoring of human tumors.” Dr. Richard LeitermanHe is the medical director of breast imaging at the Memorial Care Breast Center, Orange Coast Medical Center, California. Responses can take weeks or longer to create an optimal local environment to maintain sustained delivery to the tumor.”

The FAST sensor consists of a thin layer of gold sensors embedded in a stretchable, skin-like polymer material. The sensor responds to stretching of the patch to detect subtle changes in tumor size and shape.

“Human biology and tumor sizes are generally much more heterogeneous and larger than the animal models used in this study,” Reitherman said. “Furthermore, certain human tumors consist of multiple tumor masses rather than a single mass, and oddly shaped masses are more difficult to encircle with devices. Except, the device must be surgically placed or implanted in the organ surrounding the tumor mass.”

For animal studies, such as testing anti-cancer drugs in mice with subcutaneous tumors, FAST devices can provide real-time data, but the currently used caliper and bioluminescence measurements are not as effective, according to researchers at Stanford University. It can take weeks to detect changes.

Costing about $60 to assemble, the reusable FAST device could evolve into an inexpensive diagnostic tool.

For example, when treating melanoma or other subcutaneous tumors, Fu says that daily monitoring of tumor size may not be as important, but the FAST device could be used for weekly checks to gauge the progress of chemotherapy. He said it could help in.

Whether for therapeutic or research purposes, FAST may be superior to other tumor measurement methods.

“You need someone with some skill to use bioluminescence and calipers,” says Fu. “You have to be very consistent when it comes to measurements.”

In contrast, FAST operates autonomously and has been shown to provide more accurate measurements, at least in animal studies.

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