Development of a Smart Minimally Invasive Tool for Early Diagnosis of Bowel Cancer

Early diagnosis of medical conditions can be lifesaving, the treatment options available for earlier disease stages are more effective and the survivability is higher. Bowel cancers are among the most common types of cancer, according to the world health organization in 2020 there were an estimated 1.93 million new cases of colon and rectum cancer with approximately 916 thousand deaths, making it the third most common and second deadliest cancer worldwide.

Bowel research UK states that bowel cancer is the fourth most common and the second deadliest cancer in the UK, with Cancer Research UK stating 90% of stage 1 patients survive for 5-years or more after diagnosis, 85% of stage 2, 65% of stage 3 and 10% of stage 4.

Endoscopes are the primary device for the diagnosis of bowel cancer, they are used during flexible sigmoidoscopies which according to the NHS is the most common diagnosis method. Endoscopes allow doctors to examine patients in real time negating the requirement of highly invasive surgery, even with current advancements in the field they are still uncomfortable for the patient so decreasing the number of procedures and time of each procedure is beneficial.

To acquire the expertise to perform an endoscopy safely, clinicians undergo extensive training and work within professional regulatory frameworks. Multi-disciplinary teams are required to manage patients through their procedures, and complex decontamination processes are required for the reusable instruments. Procedures can be burdensome for patients and their families, due to often requiring sedation, the experience of pain, and the risk of either complications or procedural failure. The burden of endoscopy is thus increasingly challenging for patients, the NHS, and the economy.

Since the stage of cancer can be determined through the mechanical stiffness of the tumour (IEEE Robot. Autom. Lett., 8:2341-2348, 2023), a method of assessing tumour stiffness would aid in the diagnosis of cancers.

Also, a biopsy method that can be conducted within the same procedure is planned. Therefore, the project aims to incorporate both diagnostic and biopsy tools into one unit, with the goal of developing an untethered, clinician-controlled device for examining the large intestine. This novel concept will be implemented from theoretical and experimental studies to early proof-of-concept validation.

The introduction of this controllable diagnostic device affords the possibility of providing a new modality to meet future demands for early bowel cancer diagnosis. It is expected to provide direct improvements in patient care, thanks to the enhanced safety, comfort, accuracy, and reliability of such a device. The need for patients to be sedated will be minimised, allowing them to undergo examinations with minimal disruption to their lives and own workplaces.