Chinese scientists have invented a portable device that can detect cancer biomarkers from just one drop of blood, with significantly higher accuracy than traditional methods.
The results of this scientific work were published in the prestigious journal "Nature Photonics".
Modern systems for detecting cancer biomarkers in blood samples usually require bulky laboratory equipment. However, Chinese researchers have managed to shrink such a complex system into a compact device that fits in the palm of your hand.
The new technology is based on a nanophotonic sensor method that analyzes changes in light intensity as it passes through a blood sample. The team developed a special 3D chip made of metamaterials to control light in unusual ways.
The inventors also solved one of the main problems of such technologies: high production costs. Instead of making each chip individually, they created a system for mass printing of microchips, reducing the cost of one sensor to about five dollars.
The device consists of only three main parts: a photodetector, an LED light source, and an optical sensor. This simplicity makes it potentially usable not only in laboratories but also at home in the future.
To test the technology, scientists used the device to detect microvesicles associated with lung cancer. In tests on 171 blood samples from patients, the device demonstrated up to 94.9% accuracy in early detection of lung cancer. For comparison, the standard ELISA test has an accuracy of about 74.7%.
This new system is approximately 10,000 times more sensitive than traditional methods. Researchers believe the technology could be widely applied not only in cancer diagnosis but also in other medical tests requiring rapid detection of biomarkers in minimal blood volumes.
