Cancer is a disease characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal body cells. Normally, cells reproduce themselves by dividing and growth occurs. Occasionally, cells grow abnormally, into a mass called a tumor. Some tumors are benign, or non-cancerous; others are malignant, or cancerous. The growth of a benign tumor may interfere with body function, but these tumors are seldom life threatening. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, invade and destroy normal tissue. By a process called metastasis, cells break away from a cancerous tumor and spread through the blood and lymphatic system to other parts of the body where they form new tumors. Cancer can be caused by external factors, such as exposure to cigarette smoke, radiation or infectious agents, or it can be caused by internal factors such as genetic mutations or hormone irregularities.
The cancer market naturally breaks down into diagnostics (including screening tests and diagnostic systems) and therapeutics. Screening tests exist for some types of cancer, such as mammography for breast cancer and colonoscopy for colon cancer. If a suspicious mass is identified in a screening test, oncologists will then turn to imaging techniques and/or biopsy. Imaging is the science of non-invasive viewing of body elements or functions. The presence or absence of cancerous growths can sometimes be viewed using x-ray/CT-based scanning, ultrasound or MRI imaging. Often radioactive contrast agents are used to differentiate the suspicious tissue mass during the imaging process. Biopsy is the term for excising a piece of tissue from the body. Tissue samples so obtained are specially prepared and viewed by a pathologist or oncologist to determine whether or not they are cancerous. Cancer therapy typically involves surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or drug therapy.
Market Opportunity
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2004 there will be over 1.3 million new cancer cases diagnosed and approximately 564,000 cancer deaths. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. after cardiovascular disease. The four most common types of cancer are lung, breast, prostate and colon cancers. Combined, these four cancers account for 51% of all estimated cases for 2004.
The National Institutes of Health estimate total healthcare costs for cancer in 2002 were approximately $64.2 billion. This does not include costs of lost productivity due to the illness or premature death. Of this amount, Kairos estimates approximately $9 billion represents the cancer diagnostics market.
Kairos Focus
Kairos’ focus with the Oncology Target Market is in those areas of oncology diagnostics and therapeutics that involve utilization of disposable medical devices. The primary focus areas are surgical tools, disposables and systems for obtaining and analyzing biopsy samples; electrical, microwave, cryogenic and laser-based systems for minimally-invasive ablation (destruction) of cancerous tumors; and implantable/disposable devices used in cancer therapy, such as implantable radioactive “seeds” for radiation treatment. Imaging systems used in cancer diagnosis and other areas are covered under a separate Kairos Target Market. |
