New Cancer Blood Scanner Tested

The science fiction of nanotechnology is becoming more science and less fiction every day. The Wang Group , headed by Prof. Shan Wang at Stanford University, has been working with various uses for magnetic nanotechnology and bio-sensing.

But the group's most recent effort has the potential to detect cancer earlier than ever before.

The team developed a prototype blood scanner that can find cancer markers in the bloodstream in early stages of the disease, potentially allowing for earlier treatment and dramatically improved chances of survival, according to physorg.com .

Wang is optimistic that the technology will someday save lives by detecting cancer early or by helping doctors select more effective therapy. "The earlier you can detect a cancer, the better chance you have to kill it," he said. "This could be especially helpful for lung cancer, ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer, because those cancers are hidden in the body."

The scanner must pass clinical testing and trials before securing regulatory approval.