Fluorescence Spectroscopy May be a Useful Tool for Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Treatment
Mesothelioma, a rare asbestos-related cancer, is one of many cancers that are most often diagnosed at a late stage, making a cure almost impossible. In the treatment of mesothelioma, the best outcome is achieved with early detection of the disease by increasing treatment options and improving patients’ quality of life while battling the cancer. Fluorescence spectroscopy is a non-invasive diagnostic tool occasionally being used by physicians to diagnose cancer faster and more reliably that may benefit mesothelioma patients.
When a laser probe is shined on human tissue, the cells become “excited” by the light and emit a unique color. The color in which the cells glow, or fluoresce, is how the doctor can tell the composition of the tissue. In one study conducted in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer, the researchers found that the intensity of autofluorescence increased in the cancer tissue.
According to a study published in the January issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, an optical touch pointer (OTP) that uses fiber-optic fluorescence spectroscopy was just developed that can be used by surgeons during resection of malignant brain tumors to differentiate between healthy and tumor tissue.
Glioblastoma multiforme, a malignant brain tumor, has no border, yet the fluorescence ratio, which on average was 0 outside the tumor and was highest in the solid tumor tissue, could distinguish the cancerous cells from the healthy cells. The surgeons found that in combination with an ultrasonic navigation system, “the OTP may be used for demarcation of resectable tumor tissue.”
Mesothelioma is similar to brain tumors in that it often has a complex growth pattern making complete surgical removal a very difficult task. While the goal of the surgery is to achieve a macroscopically-complete resection, which refers to the removal of all visible tumor cells, physicians cannot easily visualize the cancerous cells. The use of an OTP utilizing fluorescence spectroscopy may be a valuable tool for improving the survival rate of mesothelioma patients.
Fluorescence spectroscopy can also be used in follow-up care with mesothelioma and cancer patients to determine the efficacy of treatment. In a study conducted by researchers in Austria, the scientists concluded, however, that “there are many aspects of this new diagnostic technique that should be discussed in future research to overcome limitations and challenges faced by this technique for diagnosis of cancers.”
