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Erick Mahatara: Have you ever imagined a world where cancer could be diagnosed in just 90 to 161 minutes?

Erick Mahatara/LinkedIn

Mar 21, 2025, 07:20

Erick Mahatara: Have you ever imagined a world where cancer could be diagnosed in just 90 to 161 minutes?

Erick Mahatara, Ambassador and Scholar at Cancer Fight Tanzania, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Have you ever imagined a world where cancer could be diagnosed in just 90 to 161 minutes?

At the 1st Kilimanjaro International Cancer Conference and 100th KCMC Postgraduate Seminar, I had an incredible opportunity to engage in discussions on the latest advancements in cancer care and one discovery completely changed my perspective.

The conference featured abstract presentations, various breakout sessions, and expert panels covering cancer research and treatment innovations. I specifically attended a breakout session dedicated to clinical trials in oncology, where I was introduced to an ongoing clinical trial in Berlin on “Nanospore sequencing for Cancer diagnostics” using a model of DNA Methylation based classification Principle, potentially groundbreaking diagnostic tool for brain tumors and Metastases.

This technology, still under trial, aims to improve cancer diagnostics and give results in just 90 to 161 minutes. From the moment a patient arrives, samples are taken, DNA is extracted, sequencing is performed, and a diagnosis is ready. In comparison, the latest existing tools taking at least 24 hours to produce results. This could be a game changer in early diagnosis, treatment efficiency, and survival rates, especially in low resource settings where delayed diagnosis is a major challenge.

The breakout session was electrifying everyone in the room was amazed, questioning, and brainstorming on the potential impact of this innovation in communities. How can this change oncology care in Tanzania, across Africa, and globally? What barriers exist for its implementation? These were just a few of the critical discussions we had.

Beyond this, the conference was an outstanding platform where I had the chance to network and exchange insights with healthcare stakeholders, researchers, and global experts including delegates. Each interaction deepened my understanding of how we can revolutionize cancer care across Tanzania and beyond.

This experience has truly expanded my vision of the future of oncology where early detection is not just a goal but a reality. I can’t wait to see how these innovations unfold and reshape the battle against cancer.”

Erick Mahatara: Have you ever imagined a world where cancer could be diagnosed in just 90 to 161 minutes?