Magnetic Nanoparticles Detect Cancerous Cells in Breast Tissue Samples

A new medical device based on biomagnetics will make the early detection of breast cancer more cost-effective and easier to administer. Consisting of magnetic nanoparticles and an extremely sensitive magnetometer, it will detect cancerous cells in samples of breast tissue.

By automating the process through which cancerous cells are detected and quantified, the new device, which is called HistoMag, will not only ease the pressure on pathologists but also help to identify the 15-30% of patients who are likely to benefit from being treated with the drug Herceptin.

A team of scientists from University College London (UCL; UK) developed HistoMag. "At UCL we [have] been working in the relatively new area of biomagnetics to develop a technique that provides more quantitative and reliable results, whilst also enabling pathologists to identify abnormal tissue sections much more quickly,” said Prof. Quentin Pankhurst of the London Center for Nanotechnology (LCN, London, UK) and the UCL department of physics and astronomy.

"Cancerous cells have a protein on their surface called HER2. We use a solution of HER2 antibodies, tagged with magnetic nanoparticles, to stain the tissue sample. Using the HistoMag we can detect the quantity of tagged antibodies which attach themselves to the HER2 protein, which in turn provides us with an accurate picture of the spread of cancerous cells” Prof. Pankhurst added.

According to Prof. Pankhurst, pathologists have had to stain tissue samples with brown dyes to help them determine whether they are normal or cancerous. The main problem with this is that all of the results are open to interpretation, and each test has to be individually checked by a specialist.

The team at UCL, led by Prof. Pankhurst, is one of seven groups to receive a Brian Mercer Feasibility Award from the Royal Society this year. The UK£25,000 award will enable the team to reengineer the HistoMag, increasing its sensitivity before it goes on to clinical trials. The goal is to make the device generally available to pathologists in 2010.


Related Links:
University College London
London Center for Nanotechnology