DNA cages:
Most cancer treatments today destroy not only cancerous cells but also healthy ones. The ultimate goal is delivering drugs only to cells that need to be treated. Using DNA cages holding medications might be the answer. Cancer cells can trigger the DNA cage to open, and thus the drug could only impact those cells, but not the healthy ones. The next level of this targeted therapy is investigated at The Imperial College London, where researchers used light as a trigger to open the cage and release the drug inside.
Precision surgery:
Surgeons using surgical robots such as DaVinci are capable of performing operations with previously unachievable precision. By making the robot an extension of the surgeon’s mind and skills, operating tumours in early stages or tumours close to sensitive organs might become more feasible than ever. Surgical robots today have 3D cameras that can record operations and stream at the same time. The robot’s added value is to assist the surgeon in suturing, dissecting and retracting tissue, leading to more precision in surgery than ever.
Monitoring and providing care:
A cancer diagnosis is a traumatic event for everyone. Although patients meet their caregivers in person many times, they are often left to cope with chronic pain or powerful side effects for the rest of the treatment and recovery process. New technologies could improve their experience – as well as the experience of their loved ones around them.
Embedded, implanted and digestible sensors:
In many cases, measuring health parameters at home would be a huge addition to cancer care. Measuring body temperature, for example, is key in monitoring the effects of chemotherapy. What if a sensor on the patient’s skin could constantly measure body temperature and notify the patient when the fever goes up? Digestible pillcams could be used to perform non-invasive routine checkups on the digestive system at home. Implanted sensors or digital tattoos could monitor every important vital sign, triggering an alarm to both the patient and the caregiver, so interventions can be planned as quickly as possible.
While there’s a large set of wearables oncology patients could use for at-home monitoring of vital signs or physical activities, these devices aren’t used much for this purpose. Both studies on the issue and medical education are missing. However, embedded or implanted sensors (like in a contact lens, where the tear film is suited to detect cancer biomarkers) have a huge potential in the future.
Measuring lab markers at home:
The threat COVID-19 posed has pushed healthcare to use at-home lab tests more widely. During chemotherapy, blood markers, especially white blood cell count, must be checked routinely to make sure the patient’s immune system is still intact. Cancer patients with easily compromised immune systems faced even more challenges in this regard during the pandemic. Point-of-care testing (POCT) can provide a viable option. At-home testing and diagnostic options will keep patients safe and their immune systems intact.
Patient networks:
Networking sites such as Smart Patients (originally a cancer patient empowering site) were designed to help patients find and support each other. These channels offer a lively community where patients, families and caregivers learn from each other about treatments, clinical trials or the latest science. The feeling of community and seeing others cope with the same hardships can boost not just the mental but also the physical well-being of cancer patients.
Pain management:
Cancer and its treatments can induce extreme, chronic pain. In the past, cancer patients were relegated to continuous, increasing doses of painkillers and opioids. Companies are now developing devices that help ease symptoms and side effects. A good example is Quell, a wearable technology with intensive nerve stimulation clinically proven to help manage chronic pain. It’s FDA-approved and clinically proven to relieve chronic pain. Another technology, virtual reality, can also serve cancer patients in pain reduction by distracting the patients. And although the effectiveness of adjunctive therapy is not entirely measurable, respondents found the therapy to be beneficial.
These technologies show a glimpse into the future – and in some cases, that future is here already. We need to keep on pushing the limits to get to a stage where the diagnosis of cancer is not a life-altering event that often brings an untimely end to a patient’s life, but at least a manageable, chronic condition.