Tiny microscope can take agonising wait out of cancer tests

Time can be crucial when diagnosing illness. And with conditions such as cancer, the current method of testing samples of tissue for disease - a biopsy - can be a slow process, with an anxious wait for results.

The procedure can cause discomfort and pain. Furthermore, it often has to be repeated, as the sampling is not always accurate.

Now, scientists have developed the world's smallest microscope - the size of a pin - which is inserted into the body, allowing doctors to 'see' cancer and make an instant, precise diagnosis, saving the patient from the need for a biopsy.