Use of DRS probe and tracking for in-vivo application version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using a diffuse reflectance spectroscopy probe in-vivo to identify tumour and non-tumour tissue in the gastrointestinal tract to aid margin assessment
IRAS ID
297102
Contact name
Christopher Peters
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract remain a major contributor to the global cancer risk, with approximately 2.8million cases of colorectal and stomach cancer worldwide. These malignancies continue to pose a major threat to public health. The aim of surgery is for complete resection of tumour with clear margins, whilst preserving as much surrounding tissue as possible. A positive circumferential resection margin (CRM) is associated with local recurrence of the tumour and poorer long-term survival, so it is paramount to establish tissue margins accurately.
Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a technique that allows discrimination of normal and abnormal tissue and presents a promising advancement in cancer diagnosis. Light emitted using a DRS probe is absorbed and scattered by different structures within tissue and emitted back onto the probe. The wavelength and intensity of this collected light is specific to each tissue type, and in this way, different tissue can be distinguished based on spectral data.
We have developed an optical tracking system to overcome single-point spectral measurements, for use intra-operatively to aid margin assessment. This system is able to process thousands of spectra in a small timeframe, which can be used in real-time to distinguish tumour and non-tumour tissue.
A benchtop ex vivo study on upper GI specimens has successfully tested these approaches.
Participants undergoing elective GI cancer surgery at Imperial NHS trust will be recruited by the clinical care team through clinic. Patients willing to take part in the study will be consented. The study involves a probe emitting harmless visible light being used on the organ that will be removed during the operation just before it is resected. This should not interfere with the operation being carried out and will take 5-15mins in total.
The study is funded by Cancer research UK.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SC/0048
Date of REC Opinion
2 Mar 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion