Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences
Tohoku University

Worldwide, the incidence rates for cancer climb steadily with the populations continue to age. In Japan, the cancer constitutes one third of mortalities nationwide, among which, the lung cancer is the leading cause of the cancerous death. Though the recent development in effective pharmacological approaches has greatly increased the survival rate of lung cancers. However, to implement such effective pharmacological interventions, it necessitates the early diagnosis of lung cancer, which requires to probe into the peripheral bronchi and investigate the localized tissue status.

Currently the broncho fiberscope represents the most accessible tools for diagnosis of respiratory lesions, such as lung cancer. However, the success rate in accurate diagnosis fluctuates between 30% to 70% as the result of limited information provided by such tools. The reasons are twofold. First, the current fiberscope relies on endoscope to visualize the deep tissue. Second, it is difficult for current fiberscopes to reach and target fine and furcate branches, limiting the possible biopsy diagnosis.

This project aims to develop miniaturized actuatable fiber sensors to target fine branches and sense the biochemical markers as indicator of cancers in the peripheral bronchi, which may pave the way for the early and accurate diagnosis of lung cancers.