Raman spectroscopy to discriminate laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma from non-cancerous surrounding tissue.

As for many solid cancers, laryngeal cancer is treated surgically, and adequate resection margins are critical for survival. Raman spectroscopy has the capacity to accurately differentiate between cancer and non-cancerous tissue based on their molecular composition, which has been proven in previous work. The aim of this study is to investigate whether Raman spectroscopy can be used to discriminate laryngeal cancer from surrounding non-cancerous tissue.

Intraoperative assessment of resection margins by Raman spectroscopy to guide oral cancer surgery.

Patients with oral cavity cancer are almost always treated with surgery. The goal is to remove the tumor with a margin of more than 5 mm of surrounding healthy tissue. Unfortunately, this is only achieved in about 15% to 26% of cases.

Exploring biomarkers and prognostic factors in uterine carcinosarcoma: An insight into L1CAM, CDX2, p53, and MSI status.

Background: Uterine Carcinosarcomas (UCS) are a rare type of cancer composed of an admixture of high-grade carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements. Clinicopathological prognostic factors in UCS are well established, but studies that approach the impact of biomarkers in this unusual disease are scarce. The study objective was to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic impact of a panel of prominent biomarkers in uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) using an immunohistochemical characterization with four biomarkers.

Raman spectroscopy for guidance of vulvar cancer surgery: a pilot study.

For vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC), the mainstay of treatment is surgical removal with tumour-free margins. Surgeons still operate without objective tools that provide margin-status. This study assesses Raman spectroscopy potentiality for distinguishing ex-vivo VSCC from healthy tissue in 11 patients.

Intraoperative Assessment of Resection Margins in Oral Cavity Cancer: This is the Way.

The goal of head and neck oncological surgery is complete tumor resection with adequate resection margins while preserving acceptable function and appearance. For oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC), different studies showed that only 15%-26% of all resections are adequate. A major reason for the low number of adequate resections is the lack of information during surgery; the margin status is only available after the final histopathologic assessment, days after surgery.

Performance of Intraoperative Assessment of Resection Margins in Oral Cancer Surgery: A Review of Literature.

Introduction: Achieving adequate resection margins during oral cancer surgery is important to improve patient prognosis. Surgeons have the delicate task of achieving an adequate resection and safeguarding satisfactory remaining function and acceptable physical appearance, while relying on visual inspection, palpation, and preoperative imaging. Intraoperative assessment of resection margins (IOARM) is a multidisciplinary effort, which can guide towards adequate resections.

Is the Depth of Invasion a Marker for Elective Neck Dissection in Early Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma?

Objective: The depth of invasion (DOI) is considered an independent risk factor for occult lymph node metastasis in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). It is used to decide whether an elective neck dissection (END) is indicated in the case of a clinically negative neck for early stage carcinoma (pT1/pT2). However, there is no consensus on the cut-off value of the DOI for performing an END.

Intraoperative Assessment of the Resection Specimen Facilitates Achievement of Adequate Margins in Oral Carcinoma.

Background: Inadequate resection margins in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma have an adverse effect on patient outcome. Intraoperative assessment provides immediate feedback enabling the surgeon to achieve adequate resection margins. The goal of this study was to evaluate the value of specimen-driven intraoperative assessment by comparing the margin status in the period before and the period after the introduction of specimen-driven assessment as a standard of care (period 2010-2012 vs period 2013-2017).

Depth of invasion in early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: The optimal cut-off value for elective neck dissection.

Objectives: Depth of invasion (DOI) is the most important predictor for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early stage (T1-T2) oral cancer. The aim of this study is to validate the cut-off value of 4 mm on which the decision to perform an Elective Neck Dissection (END) is made.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective study in patients with pathologically proven early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) without clinical or radiological signs of LNM, who were treated between 2013 and 2018.

Relocation of inadequate resection margins in the wound bed during oral cavity oncological surgery: A feasibility study.

Background: Specimen-driven intraoperative assessment of the resection margins provides immediate feedback if an additional excision is needed. However, relocation of an inadequate margin in the wound bed has shown to be difficult. The objective of this study is to assess a reliable method for accurate relocation of inadequate tumor resection margins in the wound bed after intraoperative assessment of the specimen.

Improving clinical diagnosis of early-stage cutaneous melanoma based on Raman spectroscopy.

Background: Clinical diagnosis of early melanoma (Breslow thickness less than 0.8 mm) is crucial to disease-free survival. However, it is subjective and can be exceedingly difficult, leading to missed melanomas, or unnecessary excision of benign pigmented skin lesions.

Raman spectroscopy for assessment of bone resection margins in mandibulectomy for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of Raman spectroscopy for detection of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) in bone resection surfaces during mandibulectomy.

Materials & Methods: Raman mapping experiments were performed on fresh mandible resection specimens from patients treated with mandibulectomy for OCSCC. A tumour detection algorithm was created based on water concentration and the high-wavenumber range (2800 cm-3050 cm) of the Raman spectra.

Raman spectroscopy for cancer detection and cancer surgery guidance: translation to the clinics.

Oncological applications of Raman spectroscopy have been contemplated, pursued, and developed at academic level for at least 25 years. Published studies aim to detect pre-malignant lesions, detect cancer in less invasive stages, reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies and guide surgery towards the complete removal of the tumour with adequate tumour resection margins. This review summarizes actual clinical needs in oncology that can be addressed by spontaneous Raman spectroscopy and it provides an overview over the results that have been published between 2007 and 2017.

Water Concentration Analysis by Raman Spectroscopy to Determine the Location of the Tumor Border in Oral Cancer Surgery.

Adequate resection of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) means complete tumor removal with a clear margin of more than 5 mm. For OCSCC, 85% of the surgical resections appear inadequate. Raman spectroscopy is an objective and fast tool that can provide real-time information about the molecular composition of tissue and has the potential to provide an objective and fast intraoperative assessment of the entire resection surface.