Oncologic applications of fluorescence-guided minimally invasive surgery

Abstract The integration of fluorescence guidance techniques into minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has transformative potential and is well adapted to existing laparoscopic equipment. Current clinical applications include sentinel lymph node mapping in gastric and uterine cancers, identification of important structures such as the ureter in pelvic surgery, evaluation of perfusion in bowel anastomoses, and liver tumor localization. Preclinical studies with tumor-targeting agents in rodent studies have shown benefit in tumor identification, resection margins, and survival. Translation of these benefits into the clinic requires successful development of tumor-targeting agents for humans and remains the key challenge to overcome to realize the potential of fluorescence-guided techniques in MIS.