The Research and Development to Glasses to See the Cancer Cells
直擊
Cancer cells are notoriously difficult to see， even under high-powered magnification（放大）. The glasses are designed to make it easier for surgeons to distinguish cancer cells from healthy cells， helping to ensure that no stray tumor cells are left behind during surgery."We're in the early stages of this technology， and more development and testing will be done， but we're certainly encouraged by the potential benefits to patients，" said breast surgeon Julie Margenthaler， MD， an associate professor of surgery at Washington University， who performed today's operation. "Imagine what it would mean if these glasses eliminated the need for follow-up surgery and the associated pain， inconvenience and anxiety."Current standard of care requires surgeons to remove the tumor and some neighboring tissue that may or may not include cancer cells. The samples are sent to a pathology lab and viewed under a microscope. If cancer cells are found in neighboring tissue， a second surgery often is recommended to remove additional tissue that also is checked for the presence of cancer.The glasses could reduce the need for additional surgical procedures and subsequent stress on patients， as well as time and expense.