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Smart Probe for Diagnosing Breast Cancer

May 29, 2001

A team of researchers from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, in conjunction with a private company, BioLuminate, Inc., have developed a so-called "smart probe" that may enable doctors to diagnose breast and other cancers without resorting to surgical biopsies.

Furthermore, the minimally invasive technique appears to be just as accurate as tissue-removing biopsies—and it provides an instant indication if cancerous cells are present without the need to wait for pathology reports.

Once a mammogram or physical exam has detected a possible malignant (cancerous) lump, the probe is inserted into the breast tissue and guided to the suspicious region. Sensors on the tip of the probe measure optical, electrical and chemical properties that are known to differ between healthy and cancerous tissues.

This information is immediately available on a computer screen. The physician can then determine on the spot if additional testing is necessary. Importantly, the patient is also instantly aware of the results, thus eliminating the wait time—and anxiety—that normally accompany a biopsy procedure.

In a press release announcing upcoming clinical trials, Dr. Neil Gorrin of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco called the procedure long overdue. "Physicians have been seeking a way to acquire more specific information about a suspected cancer site before performing a biopsy or surgery," he said.

"The ‘Smart Probe’ not only is less invasive," said Gorrin, "but it provides several specific measurements of known cancer indicators in real time, which will improve our chances of making the right diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient."

In the U.S. each week, approximately 16,000 women undergo unnecessary, surgical breast biopsies on suspicious tissue that turns out to be benign (non-cancerous). These additional tests cost the U.S. healthcare system over $2 billion annually.

In addition, it is estimated that physicians miss about 4,600 cases of breast cancer each week during physical examinations and mammogram reviews.

The first human studies will begin this spring at selected sites in Northern California. The device is expected to be commercially available by 2003.

The first trials will focus on breast cancer patients. However, the probe is eventually expected to be used on prostate, lung, colon, cervical and brain cancer patients as well.

SOURCE:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy (http://www.llnl.gov)

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