How a Wearable Patch Could Revolutionize Cancer Treatment

What began as a project to develop a radiation-detection polymer for military personnel turned into a new technology for delivering radiation therapy to cancer patients, thanks in part to Energy I-Corps.  

Shortly after Sandia National Laboratories researchers Isaac Aviña and Patrick Doty developed the polymer for the National Nuclear Security Administration, Doty began investigating its application in cancer therapy. At about the same time, Aviña’s father was diagnosed with cancer. They entered the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy I-Corps program to better understand the need behind the technology they were developing. Could it be applied to improve the safety and effectiveness of cancer treatments?  

Together, the two researchers conducted more than 75 interviews, many with oncology doctors across the country. They discussed a patch that could monitor the beam of radiation going into the patient in real time, giving healthcare teams greater dosing precision. One of the interviews was with a pediatric oncologist who explained that radiation treatment is especially hard for kids, who require physical restraints and anesthesia to stay still during treatment. Additionally, dosing precision is of the utmost importance in pediatric patients because of their smaller sized tissues and organs. 

Currently there is no good option to measure the dosage and location of the beam on the patient during radiation therapy. Medical teams use pre- and post-treatment CT scan data to measure success of the radiation, which leads to more radiation exposure for patients and imprecise dosage, ultimately increasing the risk to healthy tissue.  

“We didn't quite understand the precision and accuracy problem of today’s radiation treatments, and the Energy I-Corps program helped us to further define the problem we were trying to solve with our technology,” Aviña said. “The program helped us understand how much our technology is really needed to address these issues.” 

After Energy I-Corps, Aviña and Doty developed the Electronic Polymer Dosimeter for Radiotherapy (EPDR), which detects, directs, and measures radiation delivery to tumors, reducing costs and significantly enhancing treatment safety and effectiveness. Packaged as a disposable, adhesive patch, the imaging sensor attaches to the patient’s skin and measures the amount of radiation delivered and the location where the radiation enters the body. This happens in real time with minimal damage to healthy tissues.  

The technology is undergoing clinical trials through a start-up company, WearableDose Precision Cancer/Radiation Therapy, which has a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Sandia National Laboratories. So far, WearableDose has raised more than $1 million in financial endorsements to develop the EPDR and recently made Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School’s list of Most Fundable Companies, among other awards. 

Patented in 2024, the EPDR’s unique ability to provide high-resolution, real-time radiation dose monitoring addresses critical gaps not only in clinical radiotherapy but also in defense and emergency response settings. Its flexible and scalable design makes it adaptable for diverse use cases—from improving accuracy and safety in cancer treatment to protecting military personnel and first responders operating in radiologically hazardous environments. 

“As the father of three small children, I appreciate that what we’ve created is going to help kids going through cancer treatment,” Aviña said. “We can invent all day in the lab, but making something that can be used to reduce children’s pain and suffering—and also help ensure that soldiers and first responders are safe—makes a difference in how I view my work.”