Tracing the “At-Risk” Oral Mucosa Field with Autofluorescence: Steps Toward Clinical Impact

Cancer Prevention Research

Catherine F. Poh, Calum E. MacAulay and Miriam Rosin of the BC Cancer Agency; Lewei Zhang of the University of British Columbia

Study highlights:

• The study was prompted by numerous previous studies showing that oral cancer recurs in a significant percentage of patients following oral cancer surgery.
• It examined the experiences of 60 oral cancer surgery patients between 2004 and 2008. Their cancerous lesions were treated with surgical excision alone, with a minimum follow-up time of 12 months.
  • For 32 of the 60 patients, the surgeon used a surgical margin that was 10 mm beyond the tumor edge defined by the VELscope exam. Because the VELscope system utilizes fluorescence visualization, or FV, technology, these patients are described in the article as having had FV-guided surgery.
  • The remaining 28 patients—the control group—did not have FV-guided surgery; instead, the surgeon used a surgical margin that was 10 mm beyond the tumor edge defined by the standard white-light exam. (White light exams rely on visual inspection with the naked eye, whereas the VELscope system allows clinicians to discover cancerous and precancerous tissue that might not be apparent to the naked eye.)

Summary:

• There was ZERO RECURRENCE of oral cancer or severe dysplasia among the patients whose surgery was guided by VELscope’s FV technology.

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