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Pink is For Winners: How Early Cancer Detection Technology is Making the Biggest Difference for Breast Cancer Patients

Technical

Breast cancer, an abnormal cell growth in breast tissue, is the second most common cancer type in the world, with it being number one in affecting women. In 2022, 2,296,840 new cases were detected in women according to the World Health Organization[1], while in 2024, 360,000 people are likely to be diagnosed with this disease in the United States alone according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.[2] Behind each number, there is a story of shock, dismay, and, ultimately, hope for healing. In this regard, emerging discoveries and technologies from this field add hopeful incentive for accurate breast cancer detection and screening. This translates into cancers being discovered in their early phases when the condition is not life-threatening. At G&H, we are empowering the latest generation of cancer care tech through the Sentimag® platform in partnership with Endomag.

As mentioned by Cathy Coleman, Assistant Professor at the University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions, San Francisco, CA, “Currently there is no cure for breast cancer; although primary prevention through risk reduction utilizing chemoprevention or prophylactic surgery remain options for selected women at significantly high risk. Therefore, secondary prevention through earlier detection and screening offers the most viable, effective, and practical interventions for women worldwide.”[3] This has been the driving idea behind Endomag, a UK-based, life sciences company whose mission is to improve breast cancer treatment for all. In particular, their focus lies on preventing surgical and other invasive therapies, since overtreatment, as well as undertreatment can lead to significant complications for the patient. Endomag has partnered with G&H through our G&H | ITL facility in Ashford, United Kingdom, to design and develop a state-of-the-art surgical guidance system for breast cancer – a challenging project in the face of the numerous complexities presented by the disease evolution and the diverging treatment schemes.

© Endomag's Sentimag

The premise for the proof-of-concept came out of a university project called Biomagnetometer Project, set up by Quentin Pankhurst, Co-founder of Endomag and Director of the UCL Healthcare Biomagnetics Laboratory, at University College London (UCL). While looking for applications for magnetic nanoparticles, the project team had been advised by Michael Douek, a surgeon, to consider implementing the idea for operations. Medical personnel dealing with breast cancer surgeries needed new tools that could help them gain critically important information about the affected tissue, emphasizing high precision. With the advent of trackable magnetic material, the team at Endomag decided to pursue this research avenue in a way that would make the tool reliable for surgeons and safe to use for patients.

G&H was tasked with taking this raw idea, which included the use of highly sensitive liquid nitrogen and a superconducting quantum interface device (SQUID), and developing a commercially viable, production-ready medical solution. Next to making sure the new device functioned at peak capacity, the new product also required user-friendly handling. For this, the G&H team capitalized on our well-established industrial design know-how, creating an aesthetically pleasing, ergonomic version of the Sentimag® that would seamlessly fit any operating theater.

Image via Hospital MagazineImage via Hospital Magazine

Today, the device is helping hundreds of surgery teams from around the world in conducting breast biopsies with stellar diagnosis results. The transition from new product to full-volume output for Endomag confirms G&H as a trusted contract manufacturer, as production volumes and device sales increase.

According to the American Cancer Society[4], breast cancer death rates have been consistently declining since 1989, resulting in an overall 42% decrease through 2021. This data precisely shows where life science partners such as Endomag make the biggest difference in the field of cancer care. By working on life-saving innovations such as Sentimag®, we are showing our active support for the main message of October, which marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month – staying hopeful, because there is so much to be hopeful about in this field today.


[1] World Health Organization: WHO & World Health Organization: WHO. (2024, March 13). Breast cancer. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer.

[2]Breast cancer information, support & donations - National Breast Cancer Foundation. (2024, September 26). National Breast Cancer Foundation. https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/.

[3] Coleman, C. (2017). Early detection and screening for breast cancer. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 33(2), 141–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2017.02.009.

[4]Breast cancer Statistics | How common is breast cancer? (n.d.). American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html#.

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