By: John Rawls

There are over 100 types of Cancer

Over 7 million deaths a year (2004)

Makes up over 13% of the world’s deaths each year

The disease can affect all parts of the body

The top five in Men: Lung Stomach Liver Colorectal Oesophagus

The top five in Women: Breast Lung Stomach Colorectal Cervical

Tests are called screenings Different types:

Physical Exam Laboratory Tests Imagining Procedures Genetic Tests

Finding Cancer early can save lives

Circulating tumor cells About 90% of cancer related deaths are

not due to the original site of the cancer Important to find these traveling

cancerous cells Usually only several cells per 1-milliliter

sample of blood, which can contain tens of billions of normal blood cells

Blood is taken from the patient Passed over thousands of silicon “posts” Antibodies coat the outside of silicon Not too efficient given the amount of cells Scientists look for more efficient strategy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQAK4xxPGfM

Understanding of Carbon Nanotubes

About 8 times more efficient

10 billion to 100 billion carbon nanotubes per square centimeter

Less than 1% carbon and 99% air

Easy to flow through

Can change the Geometry Tumor cells, about a micron in diameter,

down to viruses, which are only 40 nm Possibly able to test for HIV Leads are forming for handheld devices Lead to more availability Better diagnostics Location?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329134134.htm

http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/cancer/02_en.html

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerlibrary/what-is-cancer

http://www.cancer.gov/PublishedContent/Images/images/documents/cancer4-new.jpg

http://www.ne2ss.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/cancer_biology.jpg

http://nsnc.sdsmt.edu/images/carbonNanotubes2um.jpg