Biolaser Tech innovation aimed at early cancer detection for better outcomes

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are the cells released into the bloodstream by expanding tumours. These are typically a small number vis-à-vis other blood cells, and their early detection becomes imperative for lasting treatment outcomes, which in reality poses a formidable challenge for clinicians. For instance, pancreatic cancer and lung cancer are typically diagnosed at advanced stages leading to poor prognosis.

To counter the limitations of conventional methods for detecting and analysing CTCs, including the possibility of being overlooked or killed, University of Michigan researchers have developed a new approach based on bio-laser technology.

Under the new modus operandi, blood samples from pancreatic cancer patients are passed through a circular maze called Labyrinth, which pre-separates CTCs helped by their larger size. CTCs are then placed between two mirrors, and an excitation laser is directed at them, one cell at a time. When the excitation is strong enough, the cells emit a laser which enables their accurate identification and analysis of the DNA within them, aided by a highly evolved machine learning model.

As the next step, the team now intends to develop a device to help isolate cancer cells following their detection, as also study the unique light patterns of the cells to identify the more aggressive tumors that are resistant to treatment.

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