Quick Hits: New Device Screens for 13 Types of Cancer

If you thought the Theranos Edison device was too good to be true, you were obviously right. However, a recent Japan Times article reported on a new device that may have gotten it right. Toshiba has worked with the National Cancer Center Research Institute and Tokyo Medical University to develop a technology that can test for 13 types of cancer from a single drop of blood. This includes gastric, esophageal, lung, liver, biliary tract, pancreatic, bowel, ovarian, prostate, bladder, and breast cancers as well as sarcoma and glioma.

The device detects microRNA molecules secreted by cancer cells in the bloodstream and uses a chip and small device to generate a diagnosis in less than two hours with 99% accuracy. Toshiba plans to begin trials next year and have the device commercially available for use in health checkups. The estimated cost of a test with the device is expected to be around $180.