Israel researches nanosensors for detecting cancer

Israeli researchers are developing a nanosensor commonly known as electronic noses, hoping to detect the breathing patterns to identify whether the risk of cancer, especially difficult to diagnose head and neck cancer. Experts say that respiratory diagnosis requires years of testing before it can be used clinically. The device developed by researchers at the Israeli Institute of Technology is called “ Nano-man-made Nose ” and it is used to detect breath and extract unique chemical signals from patients with lung cancer or head and neck cancer. The breath test prototype contains a set of nanosensors that chemically detect the cancer markers in exhalation.

The use of nanosensors can distinguish between head and neck cancer patients and healthy people, lung cancer patients and healthy people, head and neck cancer patients and lung cancer patients. This type of cancer includes a variety of tumor types that grow in head and neck tissues and organs such as the eyeball, nasopharynx, salivary glands, and mucous membranes. Head and neck cancers are often found late and difficult to treat.

In fact, nanosensors are not the first. US researchers have previously discovered that NASA uses electronic noses to monitor certain gas components on the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle, and at the same time can sniff the " breath " of brain cancer cells . Once this kind of sensor can be used clinically, it is insignificant for the discovery of head and neck cancer and is expected to increase the success rate of treatment.