Molecular, cancer-specific, intraoperative imaging of breast surgical margin assessment

Molecularcancer specificintraoperative imaging of breast surgical marginTumor margin determination is critical for breast conserving surgeryCurrent re excision rates range fromtoIntraoperative tumor margin determination would enable complete tumor removal during the first surgery while the patient is still on the operating tableCurrentlythere is no method that is molecularly and cancer specificand can be used in the operating room to help surgeons assess breast cancer surgical margins to eliminate re excisionThe ultimate goal of this project is to develop a molecularcancer specificimaging tool that is rapid and low cost and do not require a pathologist s review under a microscope to help surgeons assess if the surgical margin is clean in the operating room to reduce the re excision rateTogether with Drexel UniversityAQD Life SciencesAQDLShas created a cancer specific molecular probe consisting of patented near infraredNIRCdPbS aqueous quantum dotsAQDsconjugated to anti Tn antigen antibodyAbTn is a proven cancerspecific glycan marker on epithelial cancer cellsWith virtually no interference from tissue autofluorescencethe NIR Tn AQDs probe exhibitedsensitivity andspecificity in differentiating breast cancerBCfrom normal tissues and benign breast conditionsBBCin tissue arrays fromtissue blocks frompatientsData oncases using an animal imaging facilityIVIS imaging systemPerkinElmerindicate the NIR TnAQDs molecular probe can differentiate positive margins from negative marginsHoweverthe small animal imaging system is expensiveFurther data oncase showed that high quality margin imaging can be obtained using a preliminary setup of LED light sourcesexcitation filtersdichroic mirrorsemission filterand an NIR camera on a breadboard on a benchWith this successthe immediate goal of this Phase I application is to develop a prototype NIR imaging system specifically tailored to the optical characteristics of the cancerspecificNIR Tn AQDs molecular probe and test it onpatients for sensitive and specific surgical margin imaging over the one year periodAll patients presenting for breast conserving surgery with a diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ or invasive breast cancerlobular or ductalare eligibleThe proposed development of a reliable imaging system tailored specifically to the NIR Tn AQD molecular probe will lead to a quantitative cancer specific margin imaging tool that will eventually reduce re excision rate to andltProject narrative Breast conservation surgery has a re excision rate ofThis study seeks to eventually reduce the reexcision rate by developing a novel surgical margin imaging tool using a cancer specific near infrared molecular probe and the development of the imaging system specifically tailored to the characteristics of the molecular probe for optimal sensitivity and specificity