‘Smart knife’ can detect uterine cancer in seconds, minimizing diagnostic delays

A scalpel that ‘smells for tumours’ can detect endometrial cancer in seconds, reported The Guardian. The instrument in question is the “smart knife” or iKnife which has already proven itself in the identification of different types of tissue such as those taken from the lung, colon and liver and which is used to treat cancers of the breast and brain. Now, researchers say iKnife’s newly discovered ability to detect the presence of uterine cancer in women can significantly reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment.

The device works on the basis of electrosurgery, where it uses an electric current to heat the tissues, vaporizing them as it cuts them. This emits smoke that contains biological information that could help diagnose the condition of the tissue. An electrosurgical knife was hooked up to a mass spectrometer – a device that analyzes the types and concentrations of chemicals present in a tissue sample. Thus was born the iKnife.

Researchers at Imperial College London conducted a prospective pilot study to test the diagnostic accuracy of the iKnife. In their diary, published in the review Cancer, they wrote, “The iKnife reliably diagnosed endometrial cancer in seconds, with 89% diagnostic accuracy, minimizing current delays for women awaiting histopathological diagnosis. The results presented in this study may pave the way for new diagnostic pathways.

The iKnife was created to help surgeons determine if the tissue they are cutting is cancerous or not. the first study which tested this instrument in the operating room took place in 2013, where the iKnife diagnosed tissue samples from 91 patients with 100% accuracy, all in real time. Usually this information is revealed after laboratory tests which can take up to half an hour or more.

Seeing the results, Dr Zoltan Takats of Imperial College London, who invented the iKnife, said at the time: “These results provide compelling evidence that the iKnife can be applied across a wide range of cancer surgery procedures… It provides a result almost instantly, allowing surgeons to perform procedures with a level of precision that was not possible before.We believe it has the potential to reduce recurrence rates tumor and allow more patients to survive.

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While the instrument has been used in the past to differentiate between healthy and malignant tissue samples from the colon, breast, cervix and ovary, the recent study is the first to use the iKnife to detect cancer in endometrial biopsy samples taken from 150 women. The results were then compared with those obtained by current diagnostic methods. The iKnife’s high level of accuracy suggests the instrument could be used in clinics to provide point-of-care diagnosis, the researchers said. According to The Guardian, the research team now plans to launch a large-scale clinical trial that could eventually lead to its widespread use.

Endometrial cancer, which affects the lining of the uterus, is a common cancer in women. In the West especially, it is the most widespread gynecological cancer. Yet The Guardian reports that it is only detected in 10% of people with symptoms. Post-menopausal bleeding is one such symptom that could indicate uterine cancer. But abnormal vaginal bleeding after menopause could also occur for several other reasons, explained Athena Lamnisos of the cancer charity Eve Appeal, which funded the research. “…[T]has the ability to provide a diagnostic test that immediately eliminates or eliminates cancer, and with precision, could make such a positive difference,” Lamnisos told The Guardian.

Getting a diagnosis can take up to two weeks – during which time the anxiety of having to wait for the results to confirm whether or not you have cancer can cause immense distress. Endometrial cancer is treatable, with hysterectomy or removal of the uterus being the main method of treatment. However, there is a possibility of Side effects such as clotting and infections developing after surgery. Thus, delays in diagnosing and treating endometrial cancer can negatively impact patient survival, the researchers noted, adding that there is currently no way to provide point-of-care diagnosis. for uterine cancer.

Receiving a diagnosis within seconds, on the other hand, can not only alleviate stress for healthy women, but also allow doctors to expedite treatment for those diagnosed with uterine cancer.

As Professor Sadaf Ghaem-Maghami, who led the research team, told the Guardian: “The iKnife has the potential to completely revolutionize the way we manage people seen in rapid access clinics with bleeding significant abnormal vaginal discharge that has been referred for a potential diagnosis. endometrial cancer.