COLUMBIA, Mo. – An at home cancer detection kit could be in the same aisle as a pregnancy test in a future trip to the drugstore. A sensor, smaller than a human hair, is in development at the University of Missouri and would be able to test body fluids for cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer.
"By using highly sensitive, low-signal-loss acoustic resonant sensors in a liquid, these substances can be effectively and quickly detected — a brand-new concept that will result in a noninvasive approach for breast cancer detection," said Jae Kwon, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at MU.
The sensor would not require large amounts of data or equipment. It would also produce instant results, which would decrease anxiety for patients who would normally spend time waiting to hear about blood tests or biopsies that could take days or even weeks.
Last year, Kwon was awarded $400,000, for a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to continue his effort on this sensor research for an additional five years.
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