Breast cancer screening has long depended on the trained eye of radiologists analysing complex mammograms. But with screening volumes rising worldwide, artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful support tool. From France's Gustave Roussy Institute to Sweden's national screening system, AI now acts as a 'second look' by flagging suspicious areas for doctors to review. Studies involving over 100,000 scans show improved cancer detection without increasing false alarms. Yet experts stress that AI cannot replace human judgement.


Human Eyes Remain Key In Mammogram Analysis 

Scientists are in the process of developing flavoured lollipops as a potential non-invasive method for detecting mouth cancer, with the aim to sidestep the current invasive and often uncomfortable diagnostic procedures involving the insertion of a camera through the nose or mouth to collect tissue samples for biopsy.

These conventional methods, while effective, can be time-consuming, painful, and necessitate specialised skills. In contrast, the proposed&nbsp;lollipop-based approach offers a gentler and swifter alternative, as reported by the Independent.

<h2>How would this work?</h2>

The lollipops would be&nbsp;made from a material called smart hydrogel, originating from the University of Birmingham. The mechanism behind these lollipops would involve&nbsp;patients sucking on them to transfer saliva samples into the hydrogel. The hydrogel functions as a sort of molecular net, capturing both saliva and proteins that could potentially serve as biomarkers for cancer. Later, these trapped proteins can be released in the lab for analysis by cutting open the hydrogel.

Dr&nbsp;Ruchi Gupta, an associate professor of biosensors at the University of Birmingham, expressed&nbsp;optimism about the project's prospects to the Independent.&nbsp;

“Smart&nbsp;hydrogels have really exciting potential for diagnosing mouth cancer.&nbsp;They can be easily moulded into shapes as a solid to ‘catch’ proteins in saliva. We’re really excited to start the next phase of this project,'' she said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-what-is-preventative-chemotherapy-kate-middletons-cancer-treatment-explained-703402">Also read |&nbsp;What is preventative chemotherapy? Kate Middleton's cancer treatment explained</a>

The project has garnered financial support amounting to £350,000 ($441,035) from Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Currently, the research team is engaging in focus groups to determine suitable flavours for the lollipops.

Dr Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation at Cancer Research UK, also acknowledged&nbsp;the discomfort associated with current diagnostic techniques and anticipated&nbsp;the transformative impact of this innovative approach.

“Biopsies and nasoendoscopy are the gold standard for diagnosing mouth cancer, but it requires great skill to carry out and can feel unpleasant for patients," he said.

By offering a less intrusive and potentially more palatable method for detecting mouth cancer, this initiative represents a significant stride toward improving both diagnostic accuracy and patient experience in cancer care.

Also watch |&nbsp;Cancer experts unveil groundbreaking discovery, eliminates need for invasive surgeries

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(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists are in the process of developing flavoured lollipops as a potential non-invasive method for detecting mouth cancer, with the aim to sidestep the current invasive and often uncomfortable diagnostic procedures involving the insertion of a camera through the nose or mouth to collect tissue samples for biopsy.

Scientists are in the process of developing flavoured lollipops as a potential non-invasive method for detecting mouth cancer, with the aim to sidestep the current invasive and often uncomfortable diagnostic procedures involving the insertion of a camera through the nose or mouth to collect tissue samples for biopsy. These conventional methods, while effective, can be time-consuming, painful, and necessitate specialised skills. In contrast, the proposed lollipop-based approach offers a gentler and swifter alternative, as reported by the Independent. How would this work? The lollipops would be made from a material called smart hydrogel, originating from the University of Birmingham. The mechanism behind these lollipops would involve patients sucking on them to transfer saliva samples into the hydrogel. The hydrogel functions as a sort of molecular net, capturing both saliva and proteins that could potentially serve as biomarkers for cancer. Later, these trapped proteins can be released in the lab for analysis by cutting open the hydrogel. Dr Ruchi Gupta, an associate professor of biosensors at the University of Birmingham, expressed optimism about the project's prospects to the Independent. “Smart hydrogels have really exciting potential for diagnosing mouth cancer. They can be easily moulded into shapes as a solid to ‘catch’ proteins in saliva. We’re really excited to start the next phase of this project,'' she said. Also read | What is preventative chemotherapy? Kate Middleton's cancer treatment explained The project has garnered financial support amounting to £350,000 ($441,035) from Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Currently, the research team is engaging in focus groups to determine suitable flavours for the lollipops. Dr Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation at Cancer Research UK, also acknowledged the discomfort associated with current diagnostic techniques and anticipated the transformative impact of this innovative approach. “Biopsies and nasoendoscopy are the gold standard for diagnosing mouth cancer, but it requires great skill to carry out and can feel unpleasant for patients," he said. By offering a less intrusive and potentially more palatable method for detecting mouth cancer, this initiative represents a significant stride toward improving both diagnostic accuracy and patient experience in cancer care. Also watch | Cancer experts unveil groundbreaking discovery, eliminates need for invasive surgeries (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists are developing 'flavoured lollipops' to detect mouth cancer

Cancer remains one of the most dreaded ailments anyone can suffer from. Often, those suffering from the disease don't even realise it till it's too late.

To change this narrative, researchers, as per a report in Science Alert, are working on harnessing the capabilities of engineered bacteria. These bacteria will help scientists and doctors detect early signs of colorectal cancer in the human body.&nbsp;

<h2>How does that work?</h2>

The approach involves using modified microbes as diagnostic tools. Taking advantage of the fact that our gastrointestinal tract is naturally inhabited by various bacteria, scientists have for years been trying to harness the natural abilities of some specific strains, and use them as probiotic sensors. Finally, they might've cracked the code.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/virgin-galactics-tourist-astronauts-left-starstruck-after-trip-to-edge-of-space-watch-624619">Virgin Galactic's tourist 'astronauts' left 'starstruck' after trip to edge of space. Watch!</a>

In this study, a team of researchers led by biologist Robert Cooper at the University of California, San Diego, used a bacterium called Acinetobacter baylyi. The bacterium is known for its ability to collect DNA from its environment.&nbsp;

They genetically engineered it to target specific DNA sequences associated with colorectal cancer mutations. It was used to detect snippets of DNA shed from lab-grown colorectal cancer cells and mice harbouring colorectal tumours.&nbsp;

<h2>Diagnosing abilities</h2>

As per the&nbsp;study author Susan Woods, "This study demonstrates how bacteria can be designed to detect specific DNA sequences to diagnose disease in hard-to-reach places."&nbsp;

How it works is very fascinating. When the bacterium encountered these cancer-related DNA snippets, it incorporated them into its own genome, which in turn triggered the activation of an antibiotic resistance gene.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/lakeside-fortresses-and-ancient-stilts-scientists-unearthing-europes-oldest-village-624577">Scientists unearth Europe’s oldest lakeside stilt village behind a fortress of defensive spikes</a>

This allowed the modified bacteria to grow on agar plates containing antibiotics, and provided researchers a clear signal that cancer cells had been detected.

"This shows that our biosensing system can be used to catch colorectal cancer DNA within a complex ecosystem," says biomedical scientist Woods, who is working at the University of Adelaide in Australia.

<h2>The groundbreaking benefits</h2>

As per the report, this detection system's sensitivity&nbsp;and reliability in detecting cancer cells from stool samples will help determine its potential for clinical use.&nbsp;

Early detection of colorectal cancer could significantly improve a patient's survival rate. However, as&nbsp;per the study published in Science, while the research is promising, it still requires further exploration and testing before it could&nbsp;be used in patients.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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Cancer remains one of the most dreaded ailments anyone can suffer from. Often, those suffering from the disease don't even realise it till it's too late. To change this narrative, researchers, as per a report in Science Alert, are working on harnessing the capabilities of engineered bacteria.

Cancer remains one of the most dreaded ailments anyone can suffer from. Often, those suffering from the disease don't even realise it till it's too late. To change this narrative, researchers, as per a report in Science Alert, are working on harnessing the capabilities of engineered bacteria. These bacteria will help scientists and doctors detect early signs of colorectal cancer in the human body. How does that work? The approach involves using modified microbes as diagnostic tools. Taking advantage of the fact that our gastrointestinal tract is naturally inhabited by various bacteria, scientists have for years been trying to harness the natural abilities of some specific strains, and use them as probiotic sensors. Finally, they might've cracked the code. Also read | Virgin Galactic's tourist 'astronauts' left 'starstruck' after trip to edge of space. Watch! In this study, a team of researchers led by biologist Robert Cooper at the University of California, San Diego, used a bacterium called Acinetobacter baylyi. The bacterium is known for its ability to collect DNA from its environment. They genetically engineered it to target specific DNA sequences associated with colorectal cancer mutations. It was used to detect snippets of DNA shed from lab-grown colorectal cancer cells and mice harbouring colorectal tumours. Diagnosing abilities As per the study author Susan Woods, "This study demonstrates how bacteria can be designed to detect specific DNA sequences to diagnose disease in hard-to-reach places." How it works is very fascinating. When the bacterium encountered these cancer-related DNA snippets, it incorporated them into its own genome, which in turn triggered the activation of an antibiotic resistance gene. Also read | Scientists unearth Europe’s oldest lakeside stilt village behind a fortress of defensive spikes This allowed the modified bacteria to grow on agar plates containing antibiotics, and provided researchers a clear signal that cancer cells had been detected. "This shows that our biosensing system can be used to catch colorectal cancer DNA within a complex ecosystem," says biomedical scientist Woods, who is working at the University of Adelaide in Australia. The groundbreaking benefits As per the report, this detection system's sensitivity and reliability in detecting cancer cells from stool samples will help determine its potential for clinical use. Early detection of colorectal cancer could significantly improve a patient's survival rate. However, as per the study published in Science, while the research is promising, it still requires further exploration and testing before it could be used in patients. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Engineered bacteria offer new hope for early detection of cancer

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