U.S. Markets for Diagnostic Oncology-Related X-Ray-Based Imaging Products

Discoveries in molecular medicine in recent years have allowed researchers to study the genetic/chromosomal alterations that trigger the transformation of normal cells into malignant cells, which ultimately has led to the understanding that cancer—of which there are more than 100 forms—is a disease of the cellular genome. Cancer cells may remain localized at their transformation site for long periods, but eventually most types of human tumor masses generate pioneer cells that invade adjacent tissues and metastasize to vital organs, such as the brain, liver, or lungs. As malignant cells proliferate and crowd normal cells in the tissues of an organ, structural obstructions form, competition for nutrients and space increases, and if the condition is left untreated, the invaded tissues begin to malfunction, disrupting the workings of organs and then entire organ systems (nutritive and physical strangulation of invaded tissues/organs represents the primary cause of death in most fatal cancer cases). A number of risk factors have been identified for the development of cancer, some of which include advancing age (more than 75% of cancers are diagnosed in adults who are age 55 or older); being overweight and/or physically inactive; drinking alcohol; infection with certain microbes; smoking tobacco; and sustaining exposure to asbestos, radiation (including that from the sun), or toxic substances such as benzene and carbon tetrachloride.