![Sample our Bioscience journals, sign in here to start your access, Latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5925/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Bioscience.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Surgeons face major challenges in achieving curative R0 resection for pancreatic cancers. When the lesion is localized, they must appropriately visualize the tumor, determine appropriate resection margins, and ensure complete tumor clearance. Real-time surgical navigation using fluorescence-guidance has enhanced the ability of surgeons to see the tumor and has the potential to assist in achieving more oncologically complete resections. When there is metastatic disease, fluorescence enhancement can help detect these lesions and prevent unnecessary and futile surgeries.
Areas covered: This article reviews different approaches for delivery of a fluorescence signal, their pre-clinical and clinical developments for fluorescence guided surgery, the advantages/challenges of each, and their potential for advancements in the future.
Expert commentary: A variety of molecular imaging techniques are available for delivering tumor-specific fluorescence signals. Significant advancements have been made in the past 10 years due to the large body of literature on targeted therapies and this has translated into rapid developments of tumor-specific probes.
Declaration of interest
RM Hoffman declares that they are a non-salaried affiliate of AntiCancer, Inc. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. A reviewer on this manuscript has disclosed that they are one of the founders of SurgiMAb, a biotech company that develops SGM-101, a dye-antibody conjugate cited in the manuscript. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.