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Cancer surgery could become safer thanks to a new technology developed in Jena, Germany: An interdisciplinary research team has developed an innovative endoscope that can precisely identify and selectively remove tumor tissue - in real time during surgery. By combining state-of-the-art laser and imaging technologies with artificial intelligence, this approach opens up new possibilities for improving patients' chances of recovery. The results of this research will be published in the December 2024 issue of “Science Advances”.
Identifying and Removing Tumors With Laser Light
Completely removing a tumor without damaging healthy tissue is one of the greatest challenges in cancer surgery. Current methods, such as intraoperative tissue sampling, provide only an after-the-fact view of the success of surgery. A team at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT) in Jena, in cooperation with the Friedrich Schiller University (FSU), the University Hospital Jena and the Jena-based company Grintech, has developed an innovative solution to this problem: An endoscope powered by light and artificial intelligence precisely detects tumor boundaries - without the use of dyes.
"Our technology combines different optical imaging methods as part of a multimodal imaging approach to analyze the chemical and structural properties of tissue in real time," explains Prof. Dr Jürgen Popp, Scientific Director of Leibniz IPHT and Director of the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the University of Jena, who has been working on the technology with his team for more than a decade. "This allows us to identify tumor boundaries with high precision." The system's artificial intelligence processes the data quickly, providing surgeons with actionable information. "This allows surgeons to make precise decisions during the procedure itself," adds Matteo Calvarese, lead author of the study and Ph.D. student at Leibniz IPHT.
Combining Diagnosis and Therapy
What is unique about this new technology is its dual capability: the integration of diagnosis and therapy in a single device. An embedded femtosecond laser precisely removes diseased tissue while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. "The 'see and treat' principle is a significant advancement, as it makes surgery safer and improves patients' chances of recovery," says Prof. Dr. Orlando Guntinas-Lichius, Director of the Department of Otolaryngology at the University Hospital in Jena, Germany, and co-author of the study. "For us as surgeons, this means that we can remove tumors more effectively while preserving healthy tissue. This could significantly reduce the need for follow-up surgery and reduce the burden on patients."
This principle has already been successfully tested in preclinical studies on tissue samples from 15 patients. The technology demonstrated a 96% accuracy rate in identifying tumor tissue and achieved an unprecedented level of precision in removing it.
Optical Precision Technology From Jena
A major contribution to the development of this technology was made by Grintech, a company based in Jena, Germany, which developed high-precision miniaturized optical components for the endomicroscope and assembled them into a complete applicator system. This enables detailed visualization of tissue structures and their chemical composition with the same quality as large laboratory microscopes. "Our optical systems provide the accuracy that is essential for the successful application of this technology for endoscopic examinations," says Dr. Bernhard Messerschmidt, CEO of Grintech. "This innovation has only been made possible by the close exchange between industry, clinics and research here in Jena.
From Research to Clinical Application
The development of this technology is part of the TheraOptik project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The technology is currently in preclinical testing. The next step is a clinical trial with a larger group of patients. "Our goal is to make this light-based method a standard tool in cancer surgery within the next few years," says Prof. Popp. In the long term, the technology could also be applied to other medical fields such as dermatology or neurosurgery.
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Popp
Scientific Director Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT)
https://www.leibniz-ipht.de/en/departments/spectroscopy-and-imaging/
Matteo Calvarese et al, Endomicroscopic AI-Guided Morphochemical Imaging and fs Laser Ablation for Selective Tumor Identification and Selective Tissue Removal. Sci. Adv. 10, eado9721 (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado9721
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ado9721
Researchers Matteo Calvarese, Dr. Hyeonsoo Bae, and Elena Corbetta (from left) from the Leibniz Inst ...
Sven Döring
Sven Döring/ Leibniz-IPHT
Developed in Jena: The probe combines diagnostics and therapy, enabling precise detection and remova ...
Sven Döring
Sven Döring/ Leibniz-IPHT
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