Glowing dye could improve detection, removal of prostate cancer cells

Editor's Note

A fluorescent marker dye that attaches to a protein specific to prostate cancer cells could help surgeons identify and remove them in real time, BBC News reported June 9.

Developed by researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK, the dye reportedly performed promisingly in a trial on 23 men, during which surgeons spotted spreading cancer that would have been missed with conventional methods. Findings were published in the European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

The 23-person trial marked the first time the dye had been tested on humans, BBC reports. Quoted researchers say the technique could also enable preserving more healthy tissue, thus reducing surgical side effects such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence.

Next steps include a larger trial funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK), representatives of which say the marker dye and accompanying imaging system has the potential to “fundamentally transform” prostate cancer treatment and be adapted to other forms of cancer.