Scientists have created a point-of-care breast cancer diagnostic test called CytoPan that is designed for use in developing regions.
The CytoPan device for point-of-care breast cancer diagnosis. Image courtesy of Jouha Min, Lip Ket Chin Center for Systems Biology, MGH.A team led by Jouha Min from the Center for Systems Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) developed the compact, automated cytometry test to study breast cells gathered with fine-needle aspiration, a less-invasive alternative to standard biopsies.
In a South Korean validation study, CytoPan could be applied to 63 of 68 patients with breast cancer and spotted cancers with an accuracy of 100%, using as few as 50 cells per specimen. The test also detected the estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) cancer biomarkers with an accuracy of 93% and 96%, respectively.
CytoPan yields results quickly, involves a simplified workflow that requires minimal training, and uses test kits with an estimated cost of only $5, more than five times cheaper than current diagnostics, according to the researchers.
Future trials should test CytoPan with a wider range of biomarkers and in other regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, where women with breast cancer face additional risks such as HIV infection, Min and colleagues said.
