Despite the giant strides that have been made in cancer research in recent years, much still remains to be done. Many molecules initially hailed as potential game changers, flop in clinical trials. Early diagnosis remains a distant goal. Cancer researchers are searching for new approaches that will allow them to take the next leap forward. Takashi Suzuki, who has pioneered a new field called 'mathematical oncology', is one researcher to follow. Suzuki adopts an innovative approach to diagnosis. Doctors currently have to examine histological slides of biopsied tumour samples, which requires a level of medical expertise that is often lacking in rural areas and developing countries. "Currently, if you are not a well-trained doctor, you cannot easily diagnose whether a given sample is a cancer,"explains Suzuki.
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