The probe begins gathering information from the minute it is inserted below the skin. Computer software compares the measurements to a set of archived information that indicate the presence or absence of cancer. Results are displayed on the computer screen, not unlike an ultra-sound. Eventually, the smart probe is expected to be extended into detecting other forms of cancer such as prostate, lung, colon, cervical and cancer of the brain. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women in the United States.
Similar technology exists in removing cancerous tumours.
B2K reported recently on a 'smart scalpel' that can tell its cancerous tissue from its healthy tissue when cancer patients go under the knife. During a brain operation, judging the difference between normal and cancerous cells is up to the surgeon. The scalpel alerts the surgeon when they are approaching healthy, rather than cancerous growth, thereby preventing damaging healthy tissue. With further development, the microsensing device could also be deployed as a cheap and fast monitor of biological and chemical groundwater pollution, such as waste fluids, or explosive chemicals. It is already able to detect other blood protein abnormalities, such as sickle cell anemia.