Surgeons currently leave behind cancer cells in 20 to 60 percent of all tumour removal operations, increasing the risk of recurrence and metastatic disease. This project aims to build a prototype imaging probe that uses a novel laser technology to show the boundary between cancerous and healthy tissue in real time during surgery. Today’s operating-room imaging tools cannot reliably distinguish tumour margins, so surgeons must rely on visual inspection and touch. The result is a trade-off between cutting too little and leaving cancer behind, or cutting too much and damaging healthy organs. If the prototype works, it would give surgeons a precise, immediate view of where the tumour ends. That could reduce the rate of incomplete resections and improve long-term survival for the millions of patients who undergo cancer surgery each year—more than 27.5 million new cases are expected globally by 2040. The device would not replace existing imaging but add a layer of intra-operative guidance that currently does not exist. The project focuses on building the instrument and the image-processing methods needed to make it practical for the operating theatre.
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Cancer is the amongst the leading cause of death worldwide with more than 27.5 million new cases expected each year by 2040. Surgery is amongst the most common curative treatment with more than 50% of cancers being treated by surgical resection. For a successful outcome, the surgeon must remove the entire tumour to reduce the risk of recurrence while minimising the removal of normal tissue. This demands precise delineation of tumour margins during surgery but is currently beyond the capabilities of conventional intra-operative imaging techniques. The consequences of incomplete tumour removal are significant. It can lead to metastatic disease where cancer cells spread to other parts of the body and is associated with poor long term survival. Moreover, it is common; residual cancer cells are left behind in 20-60% of all cancer surgeries. There is therefore a clinical need for new intraoperative imaging techniques that can locate tumours and delineate their margins more accurately enabling removal of all malignant tissue. The aim of this PoC project is to meet this need. This will be achieved by developing a prototype intra-operative imaging device based on a novel laser imaging technology. The project will involve the development on advanced optical imaging instrumentation, image reconstruction and processing methods and technology transfer activities. If successful, this technology offers the prospect of reducing the risk of incomplete tumour removal and therefore the likelihood of recurrence with consequent improvements in the outcomes of cancer patients.
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