Chemotherapy has been the go-to treatment for many years for most types of cancers. One of the problems with chemo, however, is that it attacks all cells, not just the unhealthy ones. Many cancer patients avoid treatment altogether because of the pain and illness traditional treatments cause. A new breakthrough from the University of Freiburg in Germany might serve as a healthier, much less harmful form of cancer treatment. The research team found that charged polymers have the ability to target only cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells alone. The polymers target the endothelial cells which feed the cancer cells via blood vessels.

Endothelial cells are packed with caveolae, which protect the cells from outside substances. Although the researchers aren’t sure how, the polymers coupled with negatively charged ions force the protective barriers open, allowing drugs to be transmitted only to the cancerous cells while ignoring healthy cells. The tumor is slowly starved of its nutrients and dies, or in some cases can be directly eradicated with just one application of the charged polymers. Similar approaches have been tried in the past, but the tumors’ defense mechanisms were able to eventually stave off the attacks. The images above show cancer cells being specifically targeted, leaving the surrounding healthy cells alone. Although the mechanism that makes this treatment work isn’t entirely understood yet, the researchers are hopeful that this discovery will open the door to gentler, more effective cancer treatment.

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Subtle changes in body temperature can indicate a number of conditions and even give clues as to a person’s overall health. Digital thermometers have made it simple for anyone to measure their temperature at home, but they are often inaccurate. Complicating matters even further is the fact that most of us don’t think to take our own temperatures unless we have a fever.

A flexible thermometer that adheres to the skin has been developed at the University of Illinois. The sensor, which is only as thick as half the width of a human hair, is incredibly sensitive and can measure temperatures with accuracy up to thousandths of a degree. The sensor consists of tiny gold wires on a rubbery sheet. The sheet is perforated to ensure that the skin is able to breathe and move naturally.

The ultra-thin sensor doesn’t just measure temperature. It can also measure skin hydration, blood flow, and even cognitive state, providing a more detailed picture of a patient’s overall health. Because it adheres to the skin – almost like a second skin – keeping constant track of a patient’s condition is simple, hands-off, and far more convenient than traditional types of health monitoring.

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Biological warfare is scary and something of an actual threat. A new portable device could remove viruses or other toxins from a person’s bloodstream in the event of a biological disaster. The nearly pocket-sized Hemopurifier was created by Aethlon Medical and recently received FDA approval to treat Hepatitis C patients.

The small tube resembles a dialysis cartridge and fits into a standard dialysis machine, but it is actually the last line of defense in a worst-case scenario. Its mechanics are simple: after it is inserted into the arm at a specific site, the body’s natural blood pressure acts as a pump to filter out nasty things like smallpox or Ebola. The thought kind of makes us want to faint, but then again we’ve never been through anything like dialysis before.

Aethlon believes that the Hemopurifier could be used to treat all kinds of diseases and infections, including AIDS and Hepatitis C. Several working examples of the Hemopurifier have been shipped to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Although it hasn’t been tested on Americans, a trial-run in India has been completed. No word yet as to whether or not it works on this virus.

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American healthcare has about a million double-edged swords. One particularly dangerous one is when a heart attack patient could have been saved had the symptoms been recognized earlier, thus getting an ambulance sooner. A new health monitor can accomplish this.

Oxitone is worn on the wrist and monitors the ups and downs in a patient’s heart rate, as well as their blood’s oxygen levels, on a minute-by-minute basis. It contains two optical sensors that alert the wearer to a rapidly-elevating or abnormal heart beat. If any danger signs surface, the wearer can call a doctor or go immediately to the hospital to get checked out.

Oxitone is expected to cost $200 and is due to go on the market in 2015, thanks to GE Healthcare’s Health Academy Entrepreneurship Program. Hopefully this potentially life-saving device will soon be available to everyone who needs it.

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Taking a baby to get routine vaccinations is often a traumatic experience for both baby and parent. The VACC-STAMP is a smart invention that would make immunizations a lot less painful for babies and a lot less stressful for their parents.

The VACC-STAMP is a small square device that delivers painless vaccinations via a tiny needle. The inventors say that the microneedle is so small the baby won’t even feel it.

At the same time as the vaccine is being administered, a “stamp” of anti-inflammatory and disinfectant material is put onto the surface of the baby’s skin. These medications help prevent irritation or infections at the injection site.

The stamp happens to be in the shape of a heart, reminding parents that, even if immunizations are a little stressful, they are necessary to keep babies healthy.

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