Detecting cancer quickly and accurately

Summary form only given.Currently, pathologists rely on microscopic examination of cell morphology using century-old staining methods that are labor intensive, time-consuming and frequently in error. New micro-analytical methods for automated, real time screening without chemical modification are critically needed to advance pathology and improve diagnoses. The authors have teamed scientists with physicians to create a microlaser biochip (based upon the authors´ R&D award winning bio-laser concept) which evaluates tumor cells by quantifying their growth kinetics. The key new discovery was demonstrating that the lasing spectra are sensitive to the biomolecular mass in the cell, which changes the speed of light in the laser microcavity. Initial results with normal and cancerous human brain cells show that only a few hundred cells-the equivalent of a billionth of a liter-are required to detect abnormal growth. The ability to detect cancer in such a minute tissue sample is crucial for resecting a tumor margin or grading highly localized tumor malignancy.