NAMSR News: Possible new way to detect breast cancer using "Electronic Skin"

ARLINGTON, Va. - Sept. 16, 2014 - PRLog -- For detecting cancer, manual breast exams seem low-tech compared to other methods such as MRI. But scientists are now developing an “electronic skin” that “feels” and images small lumps that fingers can miss. Knowing the size and shape of a lump could allow for earlier identification of breast cancer, which could save lives. They describe their device, which they’ve tested on a breast model made of silicone, in the journalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

The thin-film tactile device is being developed by Chieu Van Nguyen and Ravi F. Saraf from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and they describe both the device and its preliminary testing within the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

At present, there are several different ways of testing for breast cancer but each has its limitations. The most common method is mammography, but this form of screening has been criticized for occasionally delivering incorrect results and being ineffective for patients with dense breasts.

Clinical breast examination (CBE) by a health care professional is the other widely used method for screening for cancer, as it is inexpensive, radiation-free and can be performed in an outpatient setting. The major drawback is that clinicians are usually unable to detect lumps until they are 21 mm in length.

Early detection of breast cancer is key to a positive prognosis, as it allows health care professionals to deal with invasive lumps before they can spread to neighboring tissue and throughout the body.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in American women; around 1 in 8 women (12%) will develop an invasive form of breast cancer during their lifetime. In 2013, officials estimated that nearly 300,000 new cases were diagnosed in the country.

To test how it might work on a human patient, they embedded lump-like objects in a piece of silicone mimicking a breast and pressed the device against this model with the same pressure a clinician would use in a manual exam. They were able to image the lump stand-ins, which were as little as 5 mm and as deep as 20 mm. Saraf says the device could also be used to screen patients for early signs of melanoma and other cancers.

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RMSR® Medical Sales Certification offered by the National Association of Medical Sales Representatives is designed for entry level medical device sales reps. The course covers a wide array of topics pertaining to industry knowledge that candidates need to acquire before applying to medical sales positions.

The course and training helps to develop the industry skills, maximizing the candidates’ potential and goals, as well as making them feel valued and stimulated in their role when communicating with members of the medical community. By an applicant acquiring medical sales training and a RMSR Certification, it puts him/her in a position of strength and qualifies them for medical sales jobs. Medical knowledge is key to this industry when communicating with doctors, surgeons, and nurses etc.

It is extremely important for representatives to use key terminology pertaining to the medical product he/she will be promoting. The only way to succeed in this industry is to garner actual sales. Doctors and Surgeons will not acknowledge a Sales Rep who is not proficient in essential medical terminology, knowledgeable of medical devices/equipment and the anatomy. For those lacking a solid sales background the RMSR course covers knowledge of medical selling techniques and regulation such as Effective Territory Management, Effective Networking, Medical Sales Ethical & Regulatory Guidelines and more.

The National Association of Medical Sales Representative™ (NAMSR) is the largest professional association in the world for Medical Sales Representatives. Through our numerous members, the NAMSR™ provides accredited training, continuing education, information about the industry, up-to-date news, programs to assist medical sales reps in their work, training programs to assist candidates who want to break into the industry and initiatives to improve communication with the medical sales field.

For more information on the NAMSR or the RMSR certification visit www.medicalsalescareer.com or call 800-313-9198