Dr. V. Suzanne Klimberg and colleagues have developed an initiative to address the lack of mammogram capabilities in rural areas by creating a form of breast cancer screening using tears. Tears contain valuable biomarkers, and can be leveraged as an accessible and cost-effective screening method for detecting breast cancer in underserved communities. Present mammogram screening rates are only 40 to 60 percent, but the use of their screening technology, called Auria, is intended to increase screening across the board. Future research will focus on whether this test can detect cancer recurrence early. There is a dearth of sensitive testing in the breast cancer detection space, and this innovation could impact the lives and prognosis of many patients. This strategy not only emphasizes the value of creativity in healthcare but also stresses the importance of tackling inequalities in healthcare accessibility. Read the feature with Dr. Klimberg at
Forbes.com.