GLOSurgery: indocyanine Green and near infrared fluorescence in paediatric Oncology surgery. A randomised, multinational, multicentre study.

Surgeons will inject a green dye into children with cancer to make tumours glow under special cameras, then randomly assign patients to receive either dye-guided or standard surgery to test which approach works better. This matters because childhood cancer surgeons currently rely on visual inspection and pre-operative scans to distinguish tumours from healthy tissue—a difficult task that can lead to incomplete removal or accidental damage to organs. The dye, indocyanine green, binds to proteins in tumours and fluoresces under near-infrared light, giving surgeons real-time visual guidance during the operation. The randomised trial design will provide robust evidence on whether this technique actually reduces harm and improves outcomes. If the dye proves effective, it could become a standard tool in paediatric oncology surgery worldwide, helping surgeons remove more tumour tissue while sparing healthy organs. That would mean fewer repeat surgeries, less damage to developing bodies, and potentially better long-term survival and quality of life for children with cancer. The trial will also generate data on which tumour types respond best to the dye, guiding future clinical use.