Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has received a grant from the National Foundation for Cancer Research to detect early-stage ovarian cancer using Senior Scientifics’ novel technology.
Manhattan Scientifics’ company, Senior Scientific has developed a highly sensitive technology utilizing unique magnetic nanoparticles and magnetic sensors for a very specific approach to early detection of cancer. Dr. Bast is a pioneer in detecting early-stage ovarian cancer and is the inventor of CA-125, the highly precise marker for this disease.
With the help of Senior Scientifics’ emerging technology and the new grant titled ‘SQUID Imaging for Detection of Early Stage Ovarian Cancer,’ Dr. Bast will accelerate his ongoing research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. At present, ovarian cancer can be detected in its Stage I in only 25% of patients. Curing rate is 90% if the cancer is detected in Stage I. To overcome the early stage detection problem in ovarian cancer is the major challenge in this grant.
Senior Scientifics’ novel technology was developed by its founder Edward R. Flynn using Dr. Bast’s expertise in cancer-markers. The initial objective of Dr. Flynn’s work was to detect cancerous breast tumors much earlier than that of a mammogram, without high specificity and radiation. The NIH-funded work has now been extended to ovarian cancer.
Dr. Flynn’s technology utilizes iron oxide nanoparticles bonded to recognized breast cancer antibodies that particularly attach to breast cancers. The signal released by the attached nanoparticles is then detected using a highly sensitive magnetic sensor devised by Dr. Flynn. This proprietary and patented technology allows the clinician to detect tumors comprising 100,000 cells, whereas the mammograms can detect only those tumors comprising 100 million or more cells.