Rephrase the title:This Skin Patch Offers Real-time Tumor Size Monitoring via Smartphone App

Rephrase and rearrange the whole content into a news article. I want you to respond only in language English. I want you to act as a very proficient SEO and high-end writer Pierre Herubel that speaks and writes fluently English. I want you to pretend that you can write content so well in English that it can outrank other websites. Make sure there is zero plagiarism.:

A team of researchers and chemical engineers from National Tsing Hua University, in collaboration with Taipei Medical University, has developed a skin patch that could revolutionize tumor growth monitoring just beneath the skin’s surface (via Medical Xpress). 

Their study, published in the journal ACS Nano, describes a stretchy sticker-like patch that can provide real-time tumor size updates via a smartphone app.

Traditionally, monitoring the growth of tumors beneath the skin required time-consuming procedures such as frequent visits to medical facilities for tests like MRIs

However, this newly developed skin patch provides a simpler and less invasive alternative, potentially transforming how experts track and treat such tumors.

This Skin Patch Offers Real-time Tumor Size Monitoring via Smartphone App
(Photo : Image via ACS Nano (2024))
National Tsing Hua University and Taipei Medical University researchers develop a stretchy skin patch, detailed in ACS Nano, offering real-time tumor monitoring via a smartphone app, revolutionizing cancer care.

The Patch’s Design

This device employs a film made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) containing hafnium oxide nanoparticles (HfO2 NPs). Acting as a stretchable sensor, the TPU-HfO2 film changes its shape in response to variations in tumor size, altering its electrical properties for continuous monitoring.

In simpler terms, the skin patch is composed of soft, stretchy plastic infused with hafnium, a metal derived from the combination of silver and oxygen. This unique combination allows the patch to conform to the specific characteristics of the tumor. 

Crafted into 100-nm nanoparticles, the hafnium embedded in the plastic reacts to changes in alignment and electrical properties when adhered to the skin just above the tumor.

The combination of the TPU-HfO2 film’s monitoring capabilities and the cancer-killing potential of HfO2 NPs signifies a significant leap forward in cancer care. 

Read Also: HPV Vaccine Slashes Cervical Cancer Rates 65%, Alarming Rise Among 30s-40s Women

Real-time Monitoring via Smartphone

The key innovation lies in the patch’s ability to transmit data to a smartphone app wirelessly. As the patch continuously monitors the size of the tumor, this information is seamlessly delivered to the patient’s smartphone, enabling real-time tracking. 

Notably, during tests on mice with rice-grain-sized tumors, the patch demonstrated impressive accuracy in tracking tumor size over a seven-day period.

The implications of this technology extend beyond the convenience of real-time monitoring. Should this patch become part of standard treatment regimens, patients would be able to monitor their treatment progress personally. 

The data collected the smartphone app could be sent daily to their healthcare providers, fostering a proactive and collaborative approach to cancer care.

This approach not only enables remote monitoring through telemedicine but also allows medical professionals to intervene promptly based on real-time data. Treatment dosages can be adjusted, and the effectiveness of the treatment can be assessed more accurately.

Future of Cancer Care

The prospect of real-time tumor monitoring and the convenience of smartphone connectivity holds the promise of improving patient outcomes and ushering in a new era of personalized and effective cancer treatment.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: FDA Greenlights DermaSensor: First AI Device for Detecting Skin Cancer

Tech Times Writer John Lopez

ⓒ 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Related Post