Researchers from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) have developed an innovative, portable device that detects colorectal and prostate cancer quickly and at a low cost.
Portable and Fast
This new device, which costs only a few dollars, promises to provide faster and more affordable diagnostics, especially in low-resource regions where barriers to early cancer detection remain high, according to Ziare.
Lead researcher Dr. XiuJun (James) Li, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UTEP, explained that the device’s affordability and sensitivity could make accurate cancer diagnoses accessible to a broader population.
According to Li, “It’s portable, fast, and eliminates the need for specialized equipment.” The research findings were published in the journal Lab on a Chip, a leading publication focused on micro- and nano-scale technology.
Current diagnostic methods, such as ELISA, can take 12 or more hours to process samples and require costly, complex equipment. These factors make testing in remote or resource-limited areas challenging, often delaying diagnosis and contributing to higher cancer mortality rates.
Uses Microfluidic Technology
The device’s design uses microfluidic technology, which allows multiple functions with minimal fluid usage. Blood samples are placed on a polymer-based paper that changes color in response to cancer protein biomarkers, revealing a color intensity that indicates the type and stage of cancer within minutes.
The device can process samples within an hour, a significant reduction from the 16 hours often needed for existing methods, and it is about ten times more sensitive than traditional tests, allowing it to detect early-stage cancer biomarkers even in trace amounts.
While initial tests have focused on prostate and colorectal cancers, researchers believe the device could be adapted to detect various other types of cancer. Before it becomes widely available, the prototype will undergo further development, clinical trials, and regulatory approval, a process that may take several years.
This innovative approach could be especially beneficial for early-stage cancer detection in remote or low-resource settings, helping to increase survival rates by making fast, accurate diagnostics accessible to a larger population.
