Physicists have devised a way to use diamonds to identify cancerous tumors before they become life threatening. Their findings reveal how a nanoscale, synthetic version of the precious gem can light up early-stage cancers in non-toxic, non-invasive Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans.

Many cancer patients survive treatment only to have a recurrence within a few years. Recurrences and tumor spreading are likely due to cancer stem cells that can be tough to kill with conventional cancer drugs. But now researchers have designed nanoparticles that specifically target these hardy cells to deliver a drug. The nanoparticle treatment worked far better than the drug alone in mice.

The tiniest of scanners could be a huge step forward in the fight against cancer. “Nanopore” scanners could save lives by detecting individual DNA molecules, making it possible to diagnose colorectal and lung cancers at their earliest stages.

Researchers have developed tiny nanocrystals that could be used in the next generation of medical imaging technologies to light up cancer cells.

Precise targeting biological molecules, such as cancer cells, for treatment is a challenge, due to their sheer size. Now, scientists have proposed an advanced solution that can potentially be applied to thermal cancer therapy. An improved sensing technique for nanometer-scale heating and temperature sensing uses a chemical method to attach gold nanorods to the surface of a diamond nanocrystal, the authors have invented a new biocompatible nanodevice.