The researchers next tried out the iKnife during 81 actual cancer surgeries using the 3000-sample database as a reference. The iKnife results matched pathology lab results after the surgery for cancerous and normal tissues for nearly all patients, the researchers report online today in Science Translational Medicine. With only a 1- to 3-second delay for an iKnife readout, "it's real-time information" Takáts says. (Waiting for pathologists to analyze a sample can take up to 30 minutes.) That feedback could minimize the time a patient is under anesthesia and allow surgeons to work faster and more effectively. The team's next step is to conduct clinical trials to find out if using the iKnife helps patients develop fewer recurring tumors and live longer.