In the future doctors would be able to monitor tumor growth and chemotherapy treatment progress in cancer patients in a swift manner. This will all be possible due to tiny implants which are under progress at MIT. Consisting of nanoparticles, the implants are meant for testing different substances which includes metabolites such as oxygen and glucose which are associated with tumor growth. The implant in a patient will be able to communicate how much of the cancer drug has reached the tumor and whether the treatment is working out fine.
Though nanoparticles have been put to use earlier too but this is for the first time that researchers at MIT have encased nanoparticles in a silicone delivery device which ensures that the implant remains in the body of the patient for a longer period of time. This enables the doctors to have a direct look at development of the tumor.
Testing of blood is not a reliable system for tracking the progress of chemotherapy and therefore this technique which is called implanted magnetic sensing makes use of detection nanoparticles for finding out the progress of the tumors. Soon a paper would be presented on the findings at the European Cancer Society and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Hopefully it will make the treatment process more effective.
