Russian Scientists Are Developing an Endoscope of the Future to Detect and Treat Cancer
A “two-in-one” system could diagnose malignant tumors in the stomach and intestines without the need for a biopsy.
Scientists in Novosibirsk have begun developing a fundamentally new type of endoscopic system. In a single procedure, it would be able to visualize a tumor in 3D in the stomach and intestines, determine its type without a biopsy, and trigger a self-destruction program inside cancer cells. The project was disclosed to IT Russia by the press service of the Institute of Automation and Electrometry.
“Programming” Cells for Destruction
The Siberian research team is working with Stefano Wabnitz, a globally recognized expert in surface wave theory from Sapienza University of Rome. Over the next five years, the scientists plan to build an advanced endoscope equipped with an ultrathin fiber-optic cable that delivers a low-power laser beam directly to tissue. Initially, the beam would function as a high-precision scanner, constructing a detailed 3D model of the tumor and identifying its type in real time. If the tumor is malignant, the laser would gently increase its воздействие, triggering apoptosis — a regulated process of programmed cell death — in the affected cells.
As Denis Kharenko, a researcher at the Institute of Automation and Electrometry, explained, this is not about burning cancer cells, which is simply not possible. Instead, it is about “programming” them for destruction. The body itself then understands how to deal with such cells.
A New Standard in Cancer Diagnostics
The new endoscope would eliminate the need for taking tissue samples through biopsy — a procedure that damages mucous membranes and takes time to analyze. The system is designed to deliver immediate results, meaning patients would not have to undergo multiple stressful procedures, and treatment could begin sooner.
According to the institute, the development also involves the use of artificial intelligence to analyze diagnostic data.
Earlier, IT Russia reported that Russian scientists had created a biosensor capable of diagnosing cancer in just five minutes. The technology, already being tested in Moscow clinics, is said to be a thousand times more sensitive than foreign analogues and could reshape approaches to early cancer detection worldwide.
