It is possible that in the near future, your fitness tracker, smartwatch, or another wearable could be able to alert you to the presence of cancer months before a doctor will be able to diagnose the condition.
This is what Nokia Chief Executive Officer Rajeev Suri says. During his speech on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Suri presented his vision of the future, which includes remote operations and 5G ambulances.
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In addition to that, he discussed cancer-predicting biomarkers that can be detected by wearable technology. A chemical that is secreted by the body is known as a biomarker. The diagnosis, prognosis, and epidemiology of cancer can all make use of genetic, epigenetic, proteomic, and glycomic biomarkers. Imaging biomarkers can also be used.
According to Suri, “with these kinds of devices, you can start to prevent anything from happening before it occurs, and we think that using biomarkers you may even figure out cancer several months before it occurs.”
“Think about how significant it is when you consider that every day and every month is significant to someone who is battling cancer.”
It was not entirely clear what the Finnish technology giant had in mind when it purchased Withings in May of 2016, when Nokia did so. As a result of the acquisition, the products and software created by the French company were re-branded under the Nokia name. However, it is clear that the corporation is also investing a significant amount of money in new research.
For instance, one of the products that Nokia is now working on is a wearable sleeve that monitors glucose levels, cholesterol levels, and lactic acid levels. If you had access to this kind of information, it would eliminate the gap in care that exists between visits to the doctor and make it possible for medical experts to monitor your health in a continual manner. This involves having the ability to recognise the early warning signs of cancer.
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It is important to take note that in the near future, you will not be able to purchase this type of technology. However, in a couple of decades from now, it will very certainly be incorporated into a consumer good. Nokia has high hopes that this day will come sooner rather than later. For the time being, the company is continuing to strengthen its presence in the fitness industry in order to have a greater influence, both among customers and within the medical community.