Scientists have developed an affordable and quick-response sensor geared towards detecting biomarkers for lung cancer. This innovation opens doors for creating screening tools that can identify the disease even in the absence of symptoms. The design of this sensor is reminiscent of glucose monitors, and it can deliver results from a blood sample in merely 40 minutes. This technology may assist healthcare providers in pinpointing individuals at an elevated risk of lung cancer, while also personalizing treatment plans for those who have already been diagnosed, in line with ‘precision medicine’ principles.
Scientists have developed an affordable and quick-response sensor geared towards detecting biomarkers for lung cancer. This innovation opens doors for creating screening tools that can identify the disease even in the absence of symptoms. The design of this sensor is reminiscent of glucose monitors, and it can deliver results from a blood sample in merely 40 minutes. This technology may assist healthcare providers in pinpointing individuals at an elevated risk of lung cancer, while also personalizing treatment plans for those who have already been diagnosed, in line with ‘precision medicine’ principles.
During a three-year research initiative, Mahdi Arabnejad, a former PhD candidate at Cranfield University, along with Sam Tothill, a Professor of Bio-Nano Sensors, and Dr. Iva Chianella, a Senior Lecturer in Bio-sensors and Functional Polymers, created the sensors aimed at screening for two specific proteins found in blood samples, successfully demonstrating this concept within a laboratory setting.
The research targeted the creation of sensors with high sensitivity towards two critical lung cancer biomarkers: neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). These sensors underwent testing with both buffered solutions and human samples, and they met clinically relevant detection thresholds for both NSE and CEA.
The findings suggest that this technology holds substantial potential as an effective tool for the early and precise identification of lung cancer.
This straightforward and rapid test allows healthcare professionals to identify individuals at a greater risk of lung cancer, enabling them to refer these patients for additional testing. Such a proactive strategy promotes early detection, which can significantly enhance patient outcomes. The test is also applicable during treatment periods to monitor how well therapies like chemotherapy are impacting the cancer.
Dr. Chianella remarked: “Currently, lung cancer screening methods can be costly and time-consuming. Although we are still in the early phases, the sensor we have developed shows encouraging potential for early detection, which can facilitate timely treatments and improve survival rates for patients.”
