The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) recently announced that, in collaboration with the French connected medical device company SENSOME and other partners, it has, for the first time, utilized a miniature sensor to achieve non-invasive, real-time monitoring of the spatiotemporal dynamics (that is, the time-dependent behaviors) of tumor cells.
According to Xinhua News Agency, this breakthrough can offer a completely new perspective for early cancer diagnosis and precision treatment.
As introduced, the miniature sensor developed by SENSOME is based on the principle of electrical impedance and enables real-time, on-site analysis of biological tissue characteristics. Building upon this, the research team integrated microelectrode array technology, impedance spectroscopy, and advanced predictive algorithms, greatly improving data processing efficiency and accuracy. Compared with traditional electrical impedance spectroscopy methods, this algorithm has faster response speed, stronger anti-interference ability, and the capacity to recognize more complex data patterns.
The team applied this technology for comparative testing of normal mammary epithelial cells and cancerous breast cells, successfully predicting trends in cell density, average diameter, and cell types across time and space. The results were highly consistent with microscopic imaging analysis, verifying the accuracy of the technology. Additionally, relying solely on electrical impedance spectroscopy, the researchers also achieved real-time tracking of the spatial heterogeneity of breast cancer cell growth and their competitive relationship with normal cells.
CNRS research director Barakat pointed out: "Analyzing cells' organization in space and time is critical to understanding cancer progression. Currently, live-cell fluorescence microscopy is the main method used to track these dynamics, but it is often limited by cell toxicity due to fluorescent dyes, as well as light-induced cell damage during long imaging sessions. Using the SENSOME technology is non-invasive and label-free, enabling long-term monitoring of cell spatiotemporal dynamics associated with cancer, while minimizing interference with the cells' natural processes."
This research has been published in the US journal Science Advances. At present, the monitoring technology has not yet received commercial application approval, and further validation of clinical practicality and safety is still required.