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New tech to combat lung cancer
A Chicago doctor is using new FDA-approved technology that makes cancer cells glow during surgery.
CHICAGO - A Chicago doctor is using a new FDA-approved imaging technology to help surgeons better detect and remove cancer cells that are often missed during surgery.
What we know:
A doctor with Loyola University Medical Center and Endeavor Health is using Cytalux, an optical imaging agent designed to highlight cancer cells that are difficult to see with the naked eye.
The technology is described as a first of its kind and is currently the only FDA-approved optical imaging agent made specifically for this purpose.
For lung cancer patients, Cytalux is given through a single infusion before surgery. During the procedure, the agent targets cancer cells and causes them to glow neon green when viewed under near-infrared lighting.
Doctors compare the effect to using a highlighter, allowing surgeons to better identify cancerous tissue during an operation.
Why it matters
Up to 55% of patients who undergo surgery to remove cancer experience a recurrence because small lesions are left behind that surgeons cannot see.
Doctors say Cytalux increases surgical precision, helping remove more cancer while preserving healthy tissue. That can mean faster recovery times because less lung tissue needs to be removed.
Big picture view:
The new procedure is only approved for lung and ovarian cancer so far.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Nearly 240 new cases are diagnosed every year.
The Source: The information in this story came from Loyola University Medical Center and Endeavor Health.