Features of the MassSpec Pen as reported by its developers at the University of Texas
1. The MasSpec Pen can detect cancerous cells almost 150 times faster than existing technology.
2. It has an accuracy rate of 96% which means there are very high chances that it will be able to find out correctly, where the cancerous cells are located.
The MassSpec pen is a major breakthrough achieved when it comes to treating patients with cancer as it allows surgeons to see exactly which tissues are cancerous during an operation, meaning there is a better chance of removing "every last trace" of the disease.
Livia Schiavinato Eberlin, an assistant professor of chemistry who designed the study, said it could significantly end the likelihood of cancer recurring.
If you talk to cancer patients after surgery, one of the first things many will say is 'I hope the surgeon got all the cancer out'.It is a well know fact that if all of the cancerous tissues are not removed during surgery, it can cause tumours to re-grow. But removing too much healthy tissue is not ideal as it can result to pain, nerve damage and deformation. Thyroid cancer patients can also lose the ability to speak if too much tissue is taken out.
It's just heartbreaking when that's not the case. > But our technology could vastly improve the odds that surgeons really do remove every last trace of cancer during surgery.
– LIVIA SCHIAVINATO EBERLIN
How the MassSpec pen works
The MassSpec pen works by releasing a tiny droplet of water onto the tissue, which soaks up chemicals inside the cells.
The water is then sucked back up and analysed using an instrument called the mass spectrometer. This instrument is capable of detecting thousands of molecules and also identify cancerous compounds present in the body system.
However, Doctors can see the result on a screen, meaning they can test tissue during surgery and much more accurately target the cancerous area.
A publication on the MasSpec Pen is currently available at the Science Translational Medicine journal as adequate plans are being made to start testing the new device during oncology surgeries next year.
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