Toshiba announced Monday the development of a technology capable of detecting up to 13 types of cancer from a single drop of blood, and with an accuracy of 99 percent.
The diagnostic method was developed in collaboration with the National Cancer Research Institute of the Medical University of Tokyo, and is expected to be available for commercialization in “a few years”, after having passed the trial period and trials that will be extended during 2020.
Early detection technology is designed to examine the types and concentration of microRNA molecules secreted in the blood by cancer cells. As explained by Koji Hashimoto, chief research scientist at the Toshiba Research Laboratory: «Compared to the methods of other companies, we have an advantage in the degree of accuracy in cancer detection, the time required for detection and cost”.
Specifically, the new test will be used to detect gastric, esophageal, pulmonary, hepatic, biliary, pancreatic, intestinal, ovarian, prostate, bladder and breast cancers, as well as sarcoma and glioma.
Toshiba has created a chip and a small device that carries out the diagnosis in less than two hours. “A blood test of this type would be worth ¥ 20,000 (USD 183) or less,” he said.
If everything goes as expected, it is possible that the device will become a fundamental tool for health checkups around the world.
Source: Japan Times
