Researchers Develop Pill To Aid Breast Cancer Diagnosis

A new pill-based method for detecting breast cancer as compared to mammogram has been developed by researchers at the University of Michigan.

This development is disclosed to be based on a failed drug.

The scientists claim the pill will give more precise information on the tumour as they have attached a molecule that fluoresces when it is struck with infrared light to the drug.

Greg Thurber, the research leader said, “We overspend $4 billion per year on the diagnosis and treatment of cancers that women would never die from.

“If we go to molecular imaging, we can see which tumours need to be treated.

“It binds to the target, but it doesn’t do anything, which makes it perfect for imaging.”

Thurber and his team tested the drug on mice that had breast cancer, and they saw the tumours light up.

Working on the Infrared Light cancer treatment, the researchers said when near-infrared light is applied, the cells swell and then burst, causing the cancer cell to die.

Thurber further said the pill will reduce stress for physicians as they would be able to distinguish malignant cancer from a benign tumour and also pick point cancers that would have gone undetected.