Taiwan Researchers Develop Fluorescent Imaging That Could Make Tumor-Guided Surgery Easier to Adopt

During cancer surgery, one of the most challenging decisions surgeons face is identifying exactly where a tumor ends and healthy tissue begins. To the naked eye, cancer tissue often looks very similar to surrounding tissue, making it challenging to resect tumors completely without damaging healthy areas. As a result, studies across multiple cancer types suggest that 20–30% of patients may require additional treatment or repeat surgery due to unclear tumor margins.

Researchers led by Professor Li-Feng Liu from the School of Medicine at I-Shou University are developing a new imaging approach designed to make tumor boundaries visibly distinguishable during surgery, giving surgeons clearer guidance at the moment it matters most.

The method builds on a simple biological insight: cancer cells consume far more sugar than normal cells because they grow rapidly. Professor Liu’s team developed a fluorescent sugar-based imaging agent that exploits this behavior. When administered before surgery, the agent is taken up more readily by tumor tissue than by surrounding healthy cells.

During the operation, surgeons illuminate the surgical area using a simple ultraviolet light. Tumor tissue then emits visible fluorescence, creating a clear visual contrast that helps surgeons identify tumor boundaries in real time as they remove the cancer while preserving healthy tissue.

What sets this approach apart is its ease of adoption. Many existing fluorescence-guided systems rely on complex imaging platforms and specialized equipment that are not available in every operating room. In contrast, this method works with widely available light sources, integrates smoothly into existing surgical workflows, and is designed to be non-toxic and safe for intraoperative use.

By lowering technical and operational barriers, the technology could help extend tumor-guided surgery beyond major medical centers. Potential applications include regional hospitals, minimally invasive procedures, and veterinary oncology, where access to advanced imaging infrastructure may be limited.

As Professor Liu and his team continue to evaluate the technology across different tumor types and surgical settings, their goal is to make precision-guided cancer surgery easier to adopt, more widely accessible, and safer for patients. Readers interested in the science behind the innovation and its real-world potential can learn more by exploring the full press release and watching the accompanying video, which illustrates how the technology works in practice.