Advanced tissue imaging to improve prostate cancer surgeries
New UC Davis clinical trial tests FLIm technology for greater precision and faster recovery
A new imaging technology developed at UC Davis is set to revolutionize prostatectomy, the surgery to remove prostate cancer. This technology, called Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIm), helps surgeons preserve the prostate function after surgery, shorten the recovery time and avoid unneeded radiation.
FLIm is an imaging technology that allows users to differentiate the tumor and its margins from healthy tissues. With clear margins, surgeons can cut only where needed. This results in less invasive cancer surgeries, easier recovery and fewer side effects for patients.
Laura Marcu, the director of The National Center for Interventional Biophotonic Technologies (NCIBT), has led the development of the FLIm technology. She is a professor of neurological surgery and biomedical engineering who runs a lab that is a pioneer in advancing label-free imaging technologies — those that don’t need fluorescent dyes, tags or markers. One application of these technologies is in detecting tumors, especially during surgeries.
FLIm has already been tested and validated in brain cancer and in head and neck cancer surgeries. Now, researchers led by UC Davis urologic surgeon Marc Dall’Era are testing its power during prostate surgeries
For this clinical trial, all participants will have surgeries powered by the FLIm technology. For now, the trial is set to enroll 20 participants.
“We are offering men undergoing prostatectomy at UC Davis Health the chance to participate,” Dall’Era said. So far, he has operated on two patients using this combined technology. Dall’Era described the experience as ‘fantastic.’