Handheld device detects cancer

Instead of needing complex machines and equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT scans, biopsies or blood tests to diagnose cancer, the Korean startup BBB has just created a compact, handheld device that can test blood and detect signs of cancer, according toIb Times.

The device is equipped with sensors that test a small drop of blood (30 microliters of blood) for signs of disease. The user pricks their finger with a needle and lightly touches a piece of test paper.

Choi Jae-kyu, founder of BBB, said the device works using two techniques: separating serum from red blood cells and separating proteins produced by cancer using electromagnetic waves.

The device then detects the density of proteins produced by cancer cells and will help doctors determine whether the cancer cells present in the patient's body are growing or shrinking. A copy of the results will be saved for storage and sent to doctors for follow-up.

According to the BBB, the handheld device is a diagnostic tool, suitable for post-surgical cancer patients - those who need regular check-ups every 3 to 6 months.

Mr Choi said the device can detect cancers of the liver, colon, prostate, uterus, ovaries and digestive organs such as the pancreas and gallbladder.

“I hope the device becomes a portable cancer prevention tool for anyone who wants to check at home,” said Choi.

The device will be available in South Korea by the end of 2018 and other markets in the future. The company is working to get clinical trial data approved by US and European medical device regulators.