WPI researchers develop chip for early cancer screening

Courtesy of WPI Researchers at WPI have developed a chip that may be used to detect cancer metastasis earlier, boosting survival odds for patients.

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By Emily Micucci

Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) have developed a chip that could lead to early detection of cancer metastasis, and more targeted treatments as a result, according to a statement last week from the school.

The chip works by performing a “liquid biopsy” of a small amount of blood drawn from a cancer patient, and uses antibodies to detect cancer cells in the sample. Described in a recent issue of the journal “Nanotechnology,” this method could become the basis of a simply lab test that could quickly detect the early signs of spreading cancer, WPI said.

The prognosis for metastatic cancer that has spread from the original site to other organs is generally poor, according to WPI, so a technique that aids early detection could greatly increase survival odds.

Balaji Panchapakesan, associate professor of mechanical engineering at WPI and director of the Small Systems Laboratory, said finding cancer cells circulating in the blood stream “is a very difficult challenge, not unlike looking for a needle in a haystack. There are billions of red blood cells, tens of thousands of white blood cells, and, perhaps, only a small number of tumor cells floating among them. We’ve shown how those cells can be captured with high precision.”

Initial tests have focused on breast cancer, but Panchapakesan said the device could be set up to detect a wide range of tumor types, such as lung and pancreatic cancer.

Plans for that are in the works.