New probing technique promises improved brain cancer treatment

Researchers in Canada have developed a new intraoperative probe for detecting cancer cells that could potentially revolutionise the treatment of brain cancer.

Created by McGill University and Polytechnique Montreal, the innovative handheld Raman spectroscopy probe enables surgeons to accurately detect virtually all invasive brain cancer cells in real time during surgery.

Using laser technology to measure light scattered from molecules, the process was tested on patients with grade 2, 3 and 4 gliomas and demonstrated its effectiveness across all disease types.

It is thought that this new probe, which is superior to existing technology in many ways, could set a new standard for successful brain cancer surgery.

Senior study author Dr Kevin Petrecca said: "We showed that the probe is equally capable of detecting invasive cancer cells from all grades of invasive gliomas. There is strong evidence that the extent of tumour removal affects prognosis for all grades of invasive gliomas."

There are about 5,000 new cases of malignant brain tumours in the UK each year. Most are caused by cancer that starts somewhere else in the body, and they can affect patients of any age.