In this MEDICA-tradefair.com interview, Prof. Martin Fussenegger talks about an implantable tattoo that is designed to warn about diseases at a very early stage and explains why this type of early detection approach is especially beneficial for health care systems.
Prof. Fussenegger, we are talking about an implant that is designed to facilitate the early detection of cancer. How can we picture this implant?
Prof. Martin Fussenegger: Our implant, which we also refer to as a tattoo, consists of human cells, which we have modified to fulfill two functions. First, they continuously measure the level of calcium in the blood. Second, if this level stays elevated over an extended period, the cells produce an enzyme that converts the amino acid tyrosine into melanin, the natural pigment that also causes the tanning of skin by exposure to sunlight.
These cells are encapsulated in alginate/gelatin. The capsules measure about half a millimeter in diameter and are injected into a subcutaneous skin layer. Fibroblasts, which coat the gelatin capsule on the outside, connect to the bloodstream.
If the calcium level is permanently elevated, the tattoo cells produce melanin. The result is a dark spot that is visible on the skin. We know more than 300 different cancer types and about 40 percent of them cause high levels of blood calcium, which is usually precisely controlled in healthy people. The implant can detect a wide range of cancers, including the four most common types of breast, colon, prostate and lung cancer.
What prompted this development?
Fussenegger: There were two primary reasons. On the one hand, many people are still very hesitant to get an early screening test, because they might be worried about the possible results or for other reasons – and if we are really honest, nobody likes to do this.
On the other hand, we do not have early methods of detection for all of the more than 300 cancer types. That’s why there should be a technology that allows us to detect and cover large portions of the cancer spectrum without having to perform hundreds of tests.
Having said that, this also applies to other diseases that take a long time for development, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease for example. Cancer was the model in our feasibility study, but we believe that we can equip the implant with different biomarkers to detect other diseases as well.