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A thumbnail-sized device was recently developed by doctors at the Technical University of Munich, which can monitor and detect the growth of cancer cells inside a patient’s body. The device is encased in the patient’s own skin cells, so it remains invisible to the body’s immune system. When placed in proximity with a tumor, it can detect if and when the tumor begins to grow by monitoring the oxygen levels in the tissue. If the device detects that the tumor is, in fact, growing, it will automatically send an alert to the doctors.

Timely intervention of cancerous tumor growth often means the difference of life or death. Different types of cancer grow at very different paces, and the growth speed from patient to patient is highly unpredictable. When cancerous cells grow unchecked, they begin to attack healthy surrounding tissue.

Doctors noticed that in order for the cancer cells to grow, they needed oxygen and nutrients, just like any other cells in the body. Naturally, researcheA thumbnail-sized device was recently developed by doctors at the Technical University of Munich, which can monitor and detect the growth of cancer cells inside a patient’s body.rs have been trying to find a way to more accurately and quickly determine the growth of cancer cells within patients, which brings us to the development of of this new growth detection device.

The research team is hoping to implement the device in cancer patients during clinical trials over the next couple years. They are also in the works to test additional censors, such as radiation and temperature, both of which can also indicate cancerous tumor growth. Depending on the success of upcoming trials, the team may also attempt to include a miniature medication pump into the device. When cancerous growth is detected, the pump would release chemotherapy drugs directly to the affected area. There are high hopes that treating cancer so directly may reduce the grueling negative affects of chemotherapy by limiting the tissue affected by the drugs.

Article Written by Marisa O’Connor