Now a cancer detecting kit on the anvil

Washington, Feb 18 : What if it were possible to buy a kit off the shelf for instant and accurate diagnosis of cancer, similar to a pregnancy test?

A Missouri University (MU) researcher is developing an acoustic resonant sensor (ARS), tinier than a human hair that could test bodily fluids for a variety of diseases, including breast and prostate cancers.

"Many disease-related substances in liquids are not easily tracked," said Jae Kwon, MU assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

"In a liquid environment, most sensors experience a significant loss of signal quality, but by using highly sensitive, low-signal-loss acoustic resonant sensors in a liquid, these substances can be effectively and quickly detected," adds Kwon.

Kwon's real-time ARS uses micro/nano-electromechanical systems (M/NEMS), which are devices tinier than a hair width, to directly detect diseases in body fluids.

The sensor doesn't require bulky data reading or analysing equipment and can be integrated with equally small circuits, creating the potential for small stand-alone disease-screening systems, said an MU release.

Kwon's sensor also produces rapid, almost immediate results that could reduce patient anxiety often felt after waiting for other detection methods, such as biopsies, which can take several days or weeks before results are known.