Leuko device to remotely monitor cancer patients during chemotherapy

Cancer was estimated to be responsible for more than 18 million cases worldwide in 2020

Leuko, founded by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has developed an at-home white blood cell monitor to help doctors non-invasively monitor cancer patients’ health during chemotherapy.

The PointCheck device provides an easy-to-use way of recording immune health for doctors and optimising cancer treatment for patients.

In 2020, it was estimated that cancer was responsible for more than 18 million cases worldwide, according to Cancer Research UK.

Chemotherapy works to destroy cancer cells, which can also destroy patients’ immune cells, leading to tens of thousands of cancer patients with weakened immune systems every year, putting them at risk of contracting infections.

In an attempt to strike a balance between providing enough chemotherapy to destroy cancer while not allowing the patient’s white blood cell count to get so low, Leuko’s PointCheck device uses light to look through the skin at the top of the finger nail, using artificial intelligence to analyse and detect when white blood cells reach low levels without needing a blood test.

First created in 2015, MIT researchers conducted a study of 44 patients in 2019, which demonstrated that PointCheck successfully detected when white blood cell levels dropped below a critical threshold with minimal false positives.

In a larger study of 154 patients, the PointCheck device demonstrated easy use at home by unsupervised patients to get immune information to doctors.

The team also believes that the device could potentially be used in the future to monitor other biomarkers in the blood for other conditions.

“Other patient populations… include patients with multiple sclerosis, autoimmune diseases, organ transplants and patients that are rushed into the emergency room,” said Carlos Castro-Gonzalez, co-founder and chief executive officer, Leuko.

Leuko co-founder and chief technology officer, Ian Butterworth, commented: “We expect this to bring a clear improvement in the way that patients are monitored and cared for in the outpatient setting.”

Later this year, a pivotal study will be conducted by the company to register for US Food and Drug Administration approval.