• 11/22/2006
  • Vancouver, Canada
  • BC Cancer Agency

Vancouver, B.C. – A study recently published in Clinical Cancer Research
takes BC Cancer Agency researchers into the operating room to shed new light
on oral cancer. Using a hand-held blue light device that could chance
clinical practices, pioneered at the BC Cancer Agency, researchers examined
oral cancer patients for pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions that are not
visible to the naked eye. The light device makes cancerous lesions that look
like normal tissue under regular white light appear as dark patches.

“This light device could revolutionize surgical practice, allowing us to see
previously hidden changes at the edge of cancers during surgery,” says Dr.
Scott Durham, surgeon, Vancouver General Hospital.

The light device detected dark patches that extended beyond the tumour and
its surgical boundary in 19 of the 20 patients involved in the study.
Biopsies taken from the tissue outside the surgical boundary confirmed the
existence of both cancerous and abnormal cells.

Recognizing the tissue surrounding oral cancers is at high-risk for
developing cancer, surgeons generally remove an arbitrary width of 10
millimeter or more of normal-looking tissue surrounding the tumour, if
anatomically possible. However, the study has shown that this approach still fails to completely remove the high-risk tissues in many patients.

“By using the light device, we were able to see that cancerous and
pre-cancerous lesions are not evenly distributed around the tumour,” says
Dr. Catherine Poh, Oral Pathology Specialist at the BC Cancer Agency and
Principal Investigator of the study. “Current surgical practices sometimes
do not eliminate oral cancers completely and this contributes to a high rate
of recurrence.”

Oral cancer is a deadly disease with little change in the survival rate in
more than three decades. The results of the study could potentially affect
the management of the 3,100 new cases of oral cancer developing in Canada
each year.

“There is a pressing need to develop new approaches that can be used
clinically in order to improve the outcome for oral cancer patients,” says
Dr. Miriam Rosin, Director of the BC Cancer Agency’s Oral Caner Prevention
Program. “The results of the study are certainly promising.” Dr. Rosin adds that the study is an important step forward in integrating optical technology and the management of this disease.

“It’s exciting to see this new technology developed in British Columbia
finally making it into the surgical theatre,” says BC Cancer Agency
scientist Dr. Calum MacAulay.

The study, a part of the BC Cancer Agency’s Oral Cancer Prevention Program,
is the effort of a multidisciplinary research team that includes oral
medicine and pathology specialists, dentists, ENT surgeons, physicists and
engineers. The study was undertaken collaboratively by the BC Cancer Agency, University
of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and Vancouver General
Hospital. The National Institute of Dental Craniofacial Research provided funding to
pioneer the light source.

The BC Cancer Agency, an Agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority,
is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality
from cancer, and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer.
It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British
Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology
services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment,
research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care.
The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds to support research and enhancements
to patient care at the BC Cancer Agency.

OCF Note: The light source that is being referred to in this article is currently being sold as the Velscope in Canada and the USA by LED Dental.