Technical Application's Background
A History of Cancer Detection
In order to prevent the spread of cancer, scientists developed methods to visually diagnose a patient. The very first development in cancer screening was created by George Papanicolaou. While studying the menstrual cycle, he came across the Pap test – a procedure where cell samples are obtained from a woman’s cervix or vagina, and then carefully analyzed for defects. He presented his findings in 1923, but it was not until the 1960s that it became widely used.
Since then, death rates due to cervical cancer declined by approximately 70%. As research progressed, mammography methods were invented, providing a more visual approach to detect cancer. With this development, more and more visual approaches developed and cancer screening diversified into different methods for different organs. Mammography remains the most prevalent screening method for women, testing the presence of breast cancer. Other forms of visual approaches involve colonoscopies, sigmoidoscopy, x-rays, MRIs, etc. All these were developed beginning in the 1970s, and they became widely accepted by the 1980s. The rise of digital screening was developed in the 1990s – pertaining to colon, rectum, and prostate exams.
In the past 20 years, advancements in the digital world led to the screening methods for DNA tests, biopsies, CT scans, etc. Scientific knowledge regarding cancer screening is continually developing. The history is very focused on cancer detection through images and visual representation. Cancer is a cell before it is a noticeable tumor. To detect cancer in an earlier stage, science needs to delve into methods that detect cancer in the cellular level.
George Papanicolaou at work in his lab
Source: everydayhealth.com
Recent Cancer Research
Affiliated Institution: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), and Harvard-affiliated hospitals
Funding Agency: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Principal Investigator: Benjamin Ebert
Link: http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/11/pre-cancerous-state-found-in-blood/
Two research teams from Broad Institute and Harvard cooperated to produce their findings. They both aim to “pave way for research that focuses on [cancer] detection and prevention,” similarly to our technology's goal. The researchers found a precancerous state of "cancer" within the blood stream which could later develop into blood cancer. Results showed that approximately 5% of the patients that appeared to have these mutations went on to develop cancer. Additionally, the teams found a link between this precancerous state and chromosomal defects. Information like this is an influential aspect of this project because the presence of blood indicators may be a universal truth for all cancers. If every cancer has a premalignant stage found in the blood, a general finger-prick test may become a viable way to diagnose patients quickly.
Affiliated Institution: Vanderbilt University, Chronix Biomedical (Germany), University of Toronto
Funding Agency: Vanderbilt University, Chronix Biomedical (Germany), University of Toronto
Principal Investigator: William Mitchell M.D Ph.D
Link: http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2015/01/vanderbilt-led-team/
This research supports the notion of a non-invasive way to perform a biopsy. William Mitchell, the lead investigator of the research, proposed that a new way to look at cancer diagnosis was through a method he called “liquid biopsy.” In his method, he suggests that there are types of cancer that could be identified through this examination. He notes that “it’s been known for many years that dying cells, including tumor cells, shed DNA into the bloodstream.” Those dying cells are what he analyzes in this method. With this, we are able to postulate innovative ways to diagnose cancer. In his studies, he showed that his liquid biopsy method was very compatible with diagnosis and differentiation of prostate cancer. It would not take long for science to implore upon this new discovery to apply liquid biopsy in other types of cancer.
Affiliated Institution: University of Bradford
Funding Agency: University of Bradford
Principal Investigator: Diana Anderson, Ph.D
Link: http://www.asbestos.com/news/2014/08/06/new-blood-test-detects-cancer/
Diana Anderson’s research and prototype is the main baseline of our proposed project. Her prototype’s methodology in assessing the presence of cancer in a patient is through the measurement of the white blood cell sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Her work claimed that cancer patients’ cells are more sensitive to ultraviolet light. Through this analysis, she is able to assess the presence of cancer and its stage: whether the cancer is premature or developed.
Advancement of Scientific Knowledge
The team’s NCT application is focused on the application of Medical Devices and Equipment on the Living Systems. We focused on methods to alleviate the modern dilemma of cancer. Through our research we found multiple methods and approaches to cancer detection. Anderson’s results showed the most promise, and our design is very similar to that of hers, with the exception that our design is going to tackle the specificity of the cancer. Her prototype is mainly concerned about the early detection to eliminate a major cause of death to cancer: late-detection. We want our design to be more advance than pre-emptive. We chose to incorporate the idea of genetic predisposition. Research from Harvard, suggested several point mutations that could expose a patient to cancer. They claimed that “all cancers are caused by bad genes.” A test of that kind would help our device. It could be an action that one takes prior to the application of our device. Looking at all these new information, we find that many scientists are already working on the early detection of cancer. We are taking the same motives, but we are approaching it in a way that we are specifying the cancer: the idea of “liquid biopsy” would best contribute to our prototype. The idea of specific detection is the scientific knowledge the we wanted to advance the most.
Created by Group Nine - Winter Park High School
Winter Park, Florida
NCT Sub-Category
Medical Devices and Equipment