Technique lights up tumours for more accurate surgery

The technique has been developed by engineers at the Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS) at University College London (UCL) and surgeons at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). The team’s development is detailed in Cancer Research.

The development could have implications for treating neuroblastoma, which is the most common form of solid cancer tumour found in children. According to UCL, standard treatment typically involves surgery to completely remove cancerous cells, which can be difficult to see as they look like the surrounding healthy tissue.

For the study, scientists at UCL and GOSH used molecular imaging during surgery, a process where chemicals are injected into the bloodstream to act as imaging probes. These chemicals are attracted to cancerous cells in the body and fluoresce once attached, lighting up the tumour.

Used during preclinical testing in mice, the technique revealed part of a tumour that had not been removed during surgery.