Technology is developing more faster than we think and developing technology means developing science which brings better detection, prevention and treatments for the diseases. By the activation of dear Sofia, we started to think about the human future. After the news and the videos of Sofia, maybe we all felt in same way: Fear or curiosity ? And maybe hope…
When someone says “Robots”, human like machines which can talk, walk and think are coming our minds however, robot even can be the tube with a tiny camera like in the first documented use of robotics for surgery in 1987. In that surgery, surgeon used a robotic laparoscopic procedure to perform a cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder).
According to studies, robots have great potential in diagnosis and treatments of cancer. We cannot say that the robots will cure the cancer but robots definitely provides improvements.
Here are two examples of advanced robotic treatments that are now available at most of the cancer treatment centres ;
This system can be used to treat numerous different types of cancer, including the lung, colon,uterus, pancreas and prostate by the removal of the tissue via the robotic surgery. Instrument has robotic arms and camera while the surgeon’s hands, wrists and finger movements transfer to the arms of the robotics instrument, in real time.
Da Vinci Robotic surgery in the illustrated action. Credit:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_action_023874_10x7_150dpi.jpg
This robotic surgery system provide following advantages;
- Greater surgical precision
- Increased motion
- Improved dexterity
- Better visualisation
- More access into the body
2. CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System
This robotic radiosurgery system provides non-invasive alternative to cancer surgery which do not need to introduction of instruments into the body. Oncologists can deliver the high dose of radiation with pinpoint accuracy to the tumours of lungs, prostates and pancreas. Advantages of this system are the targeted tumour radiation therapy with high dose of radiation. Also the healthy tissue receives less damage than traditional radiation therapy. Moreover, absence of incision and shorter treatment times increase the life quality of patients.
However, these robotic cancer surgery or treatment systems cannot be programmed, perform or act without the surgeon and his/her input. Robotic cancer surgeries continue to improve the conditions of doctors and patients in and after the surgeries but what about the robots that could be inserted into human body to target cancer ?
In the 2017 study of Yan et al., at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, scientists designed a small and remote-controlled microrobots which are engineered biological cells with the magnetic particles that provide the ability to guide around body and can release cancer drugs to the target tumour.
Nano-medicine researcher of the University of Manchester, Prof. Kostas Kostarelos who was the one of the team member of this study said; “Creating robotic systems which can be propelled and guided in the body has been and still is a holy grail in the field of delivery system engineering.” This technology continue to developing by the researchers to be used in human body and it holds great potential for the cancer diagnose and treatments in the future.
It is not easy to develop robots, there are limitations and challenges in the development of cancer treating robots but, according to literature, developments on this field are promising for the future of the diseases in detection, prevention and treatment areas.
Moreover, the recent study on the cancer diagnosis by the computer program with artificial intelligence (AI) were provided significant results. The study involved 4th most common cancer in UK : Bowel cancer.
According to this 2017 study, researcher used a AI program to assess colorectal polyps in magnified endoscopic images of 250 women and men. It took less than a second for the system to analyse each magnified endoscopic image and decide whether or not the polyp was malignant. That results were significantly fast and accurate.
Dr Claire Knight, from Cancer Research UK, said: “AI (Artificial Intelligence ) and virtual reality are opening up many exciting areas of exploration to increase our understanding and treatment of cancer.”
Technology and robotics give great hope for the potential cure and early diagnosis of cancer however, currently there are no evidence for the microrobots, computers or robots to be major fighter against cancer. Future developments can increase knowledge on cancer and maybe provide revolutionised treatments.
Beyond Cancer 
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