According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 240,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year, with Black American women facing a disproportionately higher death rate than their peers. As with many cancers, late detection of breast cancer reduces the survival rate. However, detecting cancer early can lead to a nearly 100% survival rate.
Below, we discuss groundbreaking technology that can help detect and diagnose breast cancer in the early stages: the Conformable Ultrasound Breast Patch. This technology aims to save lives while also breaking barriers in early disease detection and treatment for breast cancer. We will also explore Robert F. Smith’s advocacy and initiatives for more progressive cancer screening.
New Wave of Technology: More About the Conformable Ultrasound Breast Patch
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Media Lab has developed a new medical technology that could transform the way the healthcare system conducts early detection for breast cancer. The Conformable Ultrasound Breast Patch (cUSBr-Patch) is a lightweight honeycomb-shaped shield worn on a patient’s bra and attached with magnets. The non-invasive cUSBr-Patch offers deep scanning and multi-angle breast imaging capability in the comfort of one’s own home. It is derived from the same technology as conventional ultrasound technology and uses a new piezoelectric material that makes the device portable. The device can be moved along six key scanning points on the patient and provide a more in-depth and comprehensive look at breast tissue.
The device was created by MIT Associate Professor Canan Dagdeviren, Ph.D., who was inspired to invent the device after the passing of her aunt, who was diagnosed with the disease late. Currently, the target demographic for the device is women who fall within the high-risk category for breast cancer.
The ultimate goal of the device is to help detect aggressive breast cancer that may occur between traditional mammography screenings, which typically are recommended every two years.
Dr. Dagdeviren explains, “Our work represents a fundamental change in the way clinicians and patients can screen for, detect and diagnose breast cancer, especially as early detection is key to increasing survival rates.”
Cross Applicability in Detecting Prostate Cancer
Dr. Dagdeviren hopes the applications for this device go beyond detecting breast cancer. In fact, the goal is to use similar technology to help detect other cancers like prostate cancer.
Currently, Black American patients are disproportionately impacted not only by breast cancer but prostate cancer as well. Economic and social inequities are contributors to survival rates, — making early detection vital. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports, via the American Cancer Society, that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Black American men are also more than two times more likely to succumb to prostate cancer than their white counterparts. In 2024, it is estimated that there will be close to 300,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S.
However, there are new technological advancements in prostate cancer detection in development. Robert F. Smith, the Founder, CEO and Chairman of Vista Equity Partners, partnered with the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) for an initiative that supports research and development of an early detection test for prostate cancer known as the Smith Polygenic Risk Test.
Smith has also donated $3.8 million to Mount Sinai to develop a community outreach program to bring crucial access to screening and awareness of prostate cancer to Black communities in New York City. The gift to Mount Sinai helped create the Robert F. Smith Mobile MRI Unit, a state-of-the-art mobile screening vehicle that provides patients in Queens,; the Upper East Side and Central, Eastern and West Harlem the chance to receive screenings they may otherwise not have access to. Patients are also offered follow-up appointments with urologists, as well as treatment plans at Mount Sinai’s Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancer if abnormally high PSA levels are detected via the MRI scan.
Learn more about Smith’s work to address health disparities in the U.S., including his work with PCF and Susan G. Komen to address prostate and breast cancer, respectively.
