New nanotech to detect cancer early | Joshua Smith

Summary

This script discusses the pervasive impact of cancer, highlighting the importance of early detection for improving survival rates. The speaker, a researcher, shares their personal journey and work on developing noninvasive, rapid diagnostic technologies using exosomes as biomarkers. Their innovative nano-DLD technique aims to make early cancer detection accessible and affordable, potentially revolutionizing cancer screening and reducing its devastating effects.

Takeaways

• 😢 Cancer is a pervasive and life-altering disease affecting about 40% of people, with a significant portion not surviving.
• 🏥 Early cancer diagnosis greatly enhances survival rates, as seen in breast cancer where stage one has nearly 100% five-year survival rate compared to 22% at stage four.
• 💔 The emotional and financial toll of cancer is immense, with many survivors in the US facing debt and a high likelihood of bankruptcy.
• 🔍 Current cancer diagnostic tools are often invasive, costly, and time-consuming, with some cancers lacking effective screening methods.
• 🚫 The lack of early warning systems for certain cancers means people are often diagnosed at late stages when survival odds are lower.
• 🌟 The speaker has been developing technologies for rapid, early-stage cancer diagnostics to improve treatment options and reduce burdens.
• 🌱 The personal experience of the speaker's wife being diagnosed with breast cancer has intensified the urgency and passion behind the research.
• 🧬 Exosomes, tiny vesicles shed by cells, are being explored as important biomarkers for early cancer detection due to their presence in bodily fluids.
• 🛠️ The speaker's team is developing a nano-DLD technology for automated exosome isolation to facilitate rapid cancer diagnostics.
• 🚀 The nano-DLD technology uses deterministic lateral displacement on a nanoscale to separate cancer-related nanoparticles from healthier ones.
• 🏠 The goal is to make early cancer detection systems as accessible as Henry Ford made automobiles, potentially leading to home-based screening.

Q & A

What percentage of people are expected to hear the words 'You have cancer' in their lifetime?

Approximately 40 percent of people are expected to hear the words 'You have cancer' within their lifetime.

Why is early detection of cancer critical for survival rates?

Early detection of cancer is critical because it is one of the primary factors to improving treatment options, reducing emotional impact, and minimizing financial burdens, and it greatly enhances the odds of survival.

What is the five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients diagnosed and treated at stage one?

The five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients diagnosed and treated at stage one is nearly 100 percent.

How does the survival rate for breast cancer patients change if diagnosed at stage four?

If breast cancer is diagnosed and treated at stage four, the five-year survival rate decreases to just 22 percent.

What are some of the limitations of current cancer diagnostic tools?

Current cancer diagnostic tools are often invasive, costly, inaccurate, and can take a long time to get results back. Additionally, for some forms of cancer like ovarian, liver, or pancreatic, good screening methods do not exist.

What is the speaker's personal motivation for developing early-stage cancer diagnostics?

The speaker's personal motivation for developing early-stage cancer diagnostics was fueled by a deep scientific curiosity and a passion to change cancer statistics, which became more personal when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.

What is the significance of exosomes in the context of cancer diagnostics?

Exosomes are tiny vesicles shed by cells that serve as important biomarkers, providing an early-warning system for the development of cancer. They are present in bodily fluids and are attractive for noninvasive liquid biopsies.

What is the problem with the current method for isolating exosomes for cancer diagnostics?

The current method for isolating exosomes, which includes ultracentrifugation, requires expensive laboratory equipment, a trained lab technician, and about 30 hours to process a sample, making it not economically accessible for regular screening.

What technology has the speaker's research team developed to address the limitations of exosome isolation?

The speaker's research team has developed a technology called nano-DLD, which is capable of automated exosome isolation to aid rapid cancer diagnostics.

How does the nano-DLD technology work for separating cancer-related nanoparticles from healthier ones?

The nano-DLD technology uses a chip-based, continuous flow separation technique with tiny pillars separated by nanoscopic gaps. This system divides the fluid into streamlines, redirecting larger cancer-related nanoparticles away from smaller, healthier ones, effectively separating the two particle populations.

What is the speaker's ultimate goal for the development of early-warning cancer detection systems?

The speaker's ultimate goal is to facilitate the automation of early-warning cancer detection systems, making regular screening more accessible and potentially placing such a system in every home, allowing everyone to be tested while still healthy and catch cancer at its first emergence.