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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Longitudinal Measurement of Extracellular Matrix Rigidity in 3D Tumor Models Using Particle-tracking Microrheology
Published on: June 10, 2014
Cancer physics: diagnostics based on damped cellular elastoelectrical vibrations in microtubules
Jiří Pokorný1, Clarbruno Vedruccio, Michal Cifra
1Institute of Photonics and Electronics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Chaberská 57, 18251 Prague 8, Czech Republic. pokorny@ufe.cz
Abstract:
This paper describes a proposed biophysical mechanism of a novel diagnostic method for cancer detection developed recently by Vedruccio. The diagnostic method is based on frequency selective absorption of electromagnetic waves by malignant tumors. Cancer is connected with mitochondrial malfunction (the Warburg effect) suggesting disrupted physical mechanisms. In addition to decreased energy conversion and nonutilized energy efflux, mitochondrial malfunction is accompanied by other negative effects in the cell. Diminished proton space charge layer and the static electric field around the outer membrane result in a lowered ordering level of cellular water and increased damping of microtubule-based cellular elastoelectrical vibration states. These changes manifest themselves in a dip in the amplitude of the signal with the fundamental frequency of the nonlinear microwave oscillator-the core of the diagnostic device-when coupled to the investigated cancerous tissue via the near-field. The dip is not present in the case of healthy tissue.
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