The Clinical Application of Fluorescence-Guided Surgery in Head and Neck Cancer.

ABSTRACT: Although surgical resection has been the primary treatment modality of solid tumors for decades, surgeons still rely on visual cues and palpation to delineate healthy from cancerous tissue. This may contribute to the high rate (up to 30%) of positive margins in head and neck cancer resections. Margin status in these patients is the most important prognostic factor for overall survival. In addition, second primary lesions may be present at the time of surgery. Although often unnoticed by the medical team, these lesions can have significant survival ramifications. We hypothesize that real-time fluorescence imaging can enhance intraoperative decision making by aiding the surgeon in detecting close or positive margins and visualizing unanticipated regions of primary disease. The purpose of thi

SUBMITTER: van Keulen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6581234 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature