Reseachers hear the sound of cancer

Combining optics and acoustics, researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia have developed a way to listen to the sound of skin cancer spreading through blood. In the study, a laser was used to make the cancer cells within a blood sample vibrate; specialized microphones were then used to detect the sound that the vibrations made. When exposed to a brief but intense laser burst, melanoma cells made a distinct cracking sound that differentiated them from healthy blood cells. Researchers say the test is accurate and takes only 30 minutes, making it a good way to monitor high-risk patients for cancer. They hope this new technique could lead to earlier diagnosis of the disease, increasing chances of survival. Report

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