Unlocking the Clues Hidden in Tumor Shapes
Imagine if doctors could predict how aggressive a cancer is just by examining its shape. Researchers at the University of Toronto have taken a big step toward this possibility by creating a groundbreaking device that sheds light on the relationship between a tumor’s form and its behavior.
Unlocking the Clues Hidden in Tumor Shapes
Imagine if doctors could predict how aggressive a cancer is just by examining its shape. Researchers at the University of Toronto have taken a big step toward this possibility by creating a groundbreaking device that sheds light on the relationship between a tumor’s form and its behavior.
Tumor Shapes Tell a Powerful Story
The scientists developed a tool called ReSCUE, which stands for “Real-Time Shape Capture Under Engineering.” This innovative device allows researchers to grow mini-tumors, or “tumoroids,” in the lab and control their shapes. They found that tumors with outward curves (convex shapes) were more likely to be aggressive and grow faster. These shapes seem to signal that the cancer cells are ready to spread.
Predicting Cancer’s Next Move
Diagnosing cancer’s severity and progression is often complicated. By analyzing tumor shapes, doctors might gain a new, non-invasive way to estimate how aggressive a cancer is. This knowledge could help them personalize treatments, choosing options that are more effective for each patient’s specific cancer type and stage.
Source: EurekAlert.
