Researchers at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT have developed an implant that could take the place of a laboratory when it comes to monitoring the growth, shrinkage, metastasis or drug response of a tumor. The tiny implant would be placed when the initial biopsy is done on the tumor, and then, the device would obviate the need for additional biopsies and time consuming lab work.

How? The tiny implant contains magnetic nanoparticles coated with antibodies that are specific to the molecules they want to attract. Instead of returning to the lab in two weeks or four for another biopsy, which would take at least a few days to return to the doctor’s office, you would get a quick MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and your progress would be known immediately. And if your cancer is starting to metasticize, your doctor needs to know right away, not four days away, when something else is going on. No surgery. No waiting.

Michael Cima, MIT professor of materials science and engineering, who developed the device with his colleagues, said he believes an implant to test for pH levels could be commercially available in a few years, followed by devices to test for complex chemicals such as hormones and drugs.

Image and words via inventorspot.com.