The sound of cancer cells being electrocuted is one that many people wish to hear.
The WPP and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the top organisation for doctors and oncology specialists in the world, have partnered to reveal the first-ever audible sound of cancer cells being eradicated by cutting-edge technology, with one in three people now being diagnosed with the disease.
Today, it is anticipated that one in three people may develop cancer at some point in their lifetime.
Grey Health & Wellness developed the idea of giving cancer patients a better grasp of how their medication or chemotherapy might directly impact malignant cells in order to support patients during their treatment journey.
The team then collaborated with scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School to identify the sound made by breast and lung cancer cells just before they die.
The culmination of this collaborative effort between art and science is ‘’The Most Beautiful Sound,’’ which was developed by Health@WPP, a network of WPP agencies that serves clients in the healthcare industry.
According to Dr Conor Evans, an associate professor at the Wellman Centre for Photomedicine at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, cancer cells have an innate motion and vibration much like other cells do. According to Dr Evans, what is most interesting about this concept is its potential to give something invisible, a genuine perspective that might be extremely useful for patients as they navigate the cancer treatment process.
For the 'The Most Beautiful Sound' project, the team collaborated with medical professionals at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital to extract the sound of breast and lung cancer cells at the precise moment of cellular death, according to The Drum.
The sound was presented for the first time at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting, where guests had the opportunity to listen to it through an immersive listening station and watch a Hogarth film showcasing the reactions of cancer patients.
Dr Evans, PhD, served as the study's primary investigator and directed the experiment in his lab. In the study, the precise movements of dying cancer cells were seen using stimulated Raman scattering microscopy and translated into audible sounds.
In a formal statement, Dr Evans claimed that cancer cells vibrate and move naturally, just like all other cells do. The potential to give something invisible, a genuine viewpoint that might be incredibly effective for patients as they navigate their cancer journey, is what makes this idea so interesting.
ASCO's Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Kristen Neese, expressed excitement about the upcoming release of ‘’The Most Beautiful Sound,’’ a potent and creative depiction of cancer cells being eliminated from the body. The initiative is accessible to people of all languages, cultures, and geographical locations. It may enliven hope and fortitude in cancer patients and their carers, bringing us together in our fight against cancer.
A patient's journey through cancer can sometimes be difficult to visualise in terms of concrete milestones or progress, according to Wendy Lund, Chief Client Officer of Health at WPP.
‘’This innovative method, which is supported by research, is ground-breaking in its capacity to encourage and inspire patients, cancer survivors, and caregivers. We wanted patients to understand the impact that their treatment can have on their lives.’’
All healthcare professionals, family members, patients, and others who wish to use or study the audio as a component of cancer care and coping interventions now have access to the overall experience and sound thanks to ASCO and the Health@WPP community, which also includes BCW, CMI Media, GCI Health, Grey Health & Wellness, Hogarth, Ogilvy Health, TANK Worldwide, VML Y&R Health, and Wunderman Thompson Health.
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