sized cancer test detects tumors early with 94.9% accuracy

Key Points:

• Researchers at Westlake University in China have developed a handheld cancer-screening device that detects early-stage cancer biomarkers from a single drop of blood with up to 10,000 times greater sensitivity than conventional methods.
• The device uses a 3D Bound States-in-the-Continuum (BIC) sensing chip combined with a simple LED light source and photodetector, replacing bulky laboratory equipment with a compact, affordable tool costing about $5 per chip.
• This technology employs Q-modulated refractometric sensing to detect microscopic changes in light bending caused by cancer biomarkers, achieving remarkable precision capable of identifying subtle signals from early-stage tumors.
• Clinical trials involving 171 patient serum samples demonstrated the device’s 94.9% accuracy in early cancer detection and 92.1% accuracy in post-surgery monitoring, significantly outperforming traditional ELISA tests, which achieved 74.7% accuracy.
• Published in Nature Photonics, this innovation promises to make highly accurate, early cancer detection accessible and practical for use in hospitals, remote areas, and at-home testing worldwide.