What is TumorGlow® Technology?
TumorGlow®, a type of intraoperative molecular imaging, relies on an injectable dye that has been specially engineered to accumulate in cancerous tissues, much more so than normal tissues.
When we illuminate tumors, we brighten the odds for all cancer patients. That's why we're leading the way, investigating a new technique capable of making tumors glow under near-infrared cameras. TumorGlow® technology is engineered to enhance the visibility of undetected tumors-improving outcomes and reducing the odds of follow-up surgery.
How does TumorGlow® work?
Before surgery, patients are injected with a dye that causes cancer cells that might normally be invisible to CT scans to "glow" under near-infrared light. During surgery, the tumors strongly glow under near-infrared cameras, guiding surgeons to cancerous tissue in areas previously undetected. The results to date have been extraordinary.
What are the benefits of making the tumors glow?
There are two main benefits to the patient. The first benefit is that by seeing where the tumor is located, the surgeon can make sure to get it all out. This investigational method can make surgery safer for the patient if it allows the surgeons to cut out only what they need to take out, and nothing else. We believe that this approach will prove to be more precise.
Another benefit we have seen in these studies is the dye’s ability to “find” cancerous lymph nodes. This is especially important because identification of disease in the lymph nodes tells the oncologist that you may need to give the patient more chemotherapy, or that their cancer has progressed. This technology may also allow us to identify which lymph nodes we should take out and which lymph nodes we should leave in.
