Detecting tumour-positive resection margins after oral cancer surgery by spraying a fluorescent tracer activated by gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase

Surgery remains the treatment of choice for the curative therapy of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), including oral cancer. A resection requires wide margins to ensure no residual tumour tissue is left behind after surgery. However, such resections often cause functional loss. In the case of oral cancer, inadequate resection margins (i.e. close and positive margins) are reported in up to 85% of these patients [1,2]. These patients more often develop local recurrences and regional neck metastases, resulting in decreased survival rates [3].

Source: Oral Oncology - January 9, 2018 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Maxime D. Slooter, Henricus J.M. Handgraaf, Martin C. Boonstra, Lily-Ann van der Velden, Shadhvi S. Bhairosingh, Ivo Que, Lorraine M. de Haan, Stijn Keereweer, Pieter B.A.A. van Driel, Alan Chan, Hisataka Kobayashi, Alexander L. Vahrmeijer, Clemens W.G.M. Source Type: research