Abstract 4316: A novel wide field-of-view imaging device for real-time, intra-operative tumor bed assessment

Limb-sparing surgery for extremity soft tissue sarcoma removes all cancer cells at the primary tumor site in the majority of patients. However, without radiation therapy, microscopic residual sarcoma cells left behind in the tumor bed will cause a tumor recurrence in approximately one-third of patients. Therefore, adjuvant radiation therapy is delivered to most patients, even when the tumor bed lacks residual cancer. Here, we present an imaging system for residual cancer assessment, consisting of a novel wide field-of-view imaging device and a protease-activated fluorescent probe. We demonstrate that this system directly images microscopic residual sarcoma cells in the tumor bed of mice when primary soft tissue sarcomas are resected. Moreover, this system can detect single tumor cells that have activated the fluorescent probe in vivo. This technology has the potential to be used as an intra-operative tool to identify microscopic residual disease for soft tissue sarcoma and other cancers with the goal of reducing rates of local recurrence, re-operation for positive margins, and adjuvant radiation therapy to tumor beds that lack residual cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4316.