Science Advances: Bao Zhenan's team develops wearable devices to monitor tumor changes in the body in real time and accelerate the development of anti-cancer drugs

Every year, researchers around the world test thousands of potential cancer drugs
on mouse models of subcutaneous tumors.

On September 16, 2022, Stanford University's Bao Zhenan team published a research paper titled "A flexible electronic strain sensor for the real-time monitoring of tumor regression" in the journal Science Advances
.

The study developed a small, autonomous device with tensile/flexible sensors that can adhere to the skin to measure changes
in tumor size underneath.

The research team named the device FAST (Flexible Autonomous Sensor measuring Tumors), which represents a new, fast, cheap, hands-free and accurate anticancer drug efficacy test method
.

Professor Bao Zhenan

Bao Zhenan, graduated from Nanjing University in 1991 with a bachelor's degree, received his Ph.

In many cases, when verifying the effect of anti-cancer drugs in animal experiments, a vernier caliper must be used to manually measure the size change of the tumor, but the effect of metal calipers on the soft tissues of the tumor is not ideal
.

In this latest study, the research team developed a sensor consisting of a flexible and stretchable skin-like polymer film in which an integrated circuit is embedded to connect the sensor to a small electronic backpack
.

Using this device, it is possible to monitor changes in tumor size in
real time.

The device can monitor changes in tumor volume on minute time scales, while vernier calipers and bioluminescence monitoring typically take several weeks of observation periods to read out changes in
tumor size.

The research team says the real-time tumor monitoring device, called FAST, has made significant advances in at least three areas:

First, FAST provides continuous monitoring with its sensors physically connected to the mouse and kept in place
throughout the experiment.

Second, FAST's flexible sensor wraps around the tumor, so it is able to measure shape changes
that are difficult to discern by other methods.

Third, FAST is both autonomous and non-invasive, and through battery power and wireless connection, mice can move
freely without being hindered by devices or wires.

In addition, FAST can be reused, the assembly cost is only about $60, and it only takes a few minutes to quickly deploy to mice
.

The reason for these breakthroughs is mainly that the flexible electronic materials used in FAST are coated with a layer of gold on the skin-like polymer film, and when the polymer film is stretched, these gold coatings will produce fine cracks, resulting in increased resistance and reduced conductivity of the material; When the polymer film shrinks, these cracks reconnect and the conductivity of the material increases
.

In the actual application of the device, there is also a problem to solve, that is, the sensor itself may exert excessive pressure on the tumor and affect the measurement results
.

The team compared FAST head-to-head with traditional methods of detecting tumor volume, and the results showed that in a mouse model of tumors with the oral anticancer drug erlotinib, FAST was able to detect a decrease in tumor volume in mice more quickly
.

Overall, the research and development of the FAST device represents a new, fast, inexpensive, hands-free and accurate anticancer
drug efficacy test.
In the long run, this could lead to promising new directions
in cancer treatment.

The recent research results of Bao Zhenan's team:

Bao Zhenan develops "neural strings" that monitor the exchange of information between the brain and intestines in real time

Can a paralyzed person walk again? Bao Zhenan's team brought new breakthroughs

Original Source:

ALEX ABRAMSON， et al.
A flexible electronic strain sensor for the real-time monitoring of tumor regression.
SCIENCE ADVANCES， 16 Sep 2022， Vol 8， Issue 37.