What does the future hold for microwave? Medicine

There are certain limitations and problems with using microwave radiation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, such as the spatial resolution, the penetration depth, the ability to focus the radiation, and the electromagnetic interference. Radiation, in general, can cause cancer but can also kill cancer cells. Microwave ablation may be used to fight cancer, and microwave radiation can in principle be used to detect any abnormalities in electrical properties of tissue, which might be indicative of cancer. Given that microwave is a non-ionizing radiation, it seems that it might become an additional, complementary tool in fighting cancer.We acknowledge EPSRC Grant No. EP/H008403/1 awarded to Professor Brian J. Howard (Oxford University), the Centre for Public Engagement (Queen Mary, University of London) for funding, and Lis Carter for help in the recording