Nano and micro technologies offer new imaging technologies that provide high quality images not possible with current devices, along with new methods of treatment.

Malignant tumors are highly localized during the early stage of their development. If detected early, the tumors can often be surgically removed with high success.

The longer a patient has a malignant tumor the more likely the cancer will spread to neighboring lymph nodes and other anatomic structures. Aggressive surgery or chemotherapy, or very high doses of radiation may kill the cancer but at the same time severely injure normal tissue. In many patients, particularly those with breast cancer, the cancer can spread to other parts of the body even after the original cancer tumor has been removed.

Brain tumors have other challenges. Removing tumors and other cancerous cells in the brain through surgery can risk the loss of cognitive ability, hearing, speech, and other functions. Chemotherapy therapeutics can kill cancerous cells but because of their large physical size may be prevented from entering the brain by the blood-brain barrier.

Nanotechnology can offer new solutions for the early detection of cancer and other diseases. Complementary technologies can also destroy cancer cells, which are too small to locate and remove surgically.