Mass spectrometry offers faster look at the edges of brain tumors
Glioma brain tumors are diffuse, so surgeons usually cannot excise all of the cancer during surgery. Currently, surgeons remove as much of the tumor as they can and then analyze the tumor's borders after surgery.
Glioma brain tumors are notoriously difficult to treat, as they tend to infiltrate healthy brain tissue. During surgery, surgeons typically remove as much cancerous tissue as possible and analyze the remaining tumor margins afterwards. Purdue University researchers have developed a new method that could allow for real-time assessment of tumor borders during surgery.
This mass spectrometry technique, called syringe touch spray, analyzes brain tissue samples in just three minutes, offering molecular data that could guide surgical decisions and potentially improve patient outcomes. The method, which measures ratios of endogenous metabolites in brain tissue, was successfully tested on 86 human glioma samples.
It can distinguish glioma from non-cancerous tissue, classify tumor subtypes and mutation status, and could help select targeted therapies. While the technique is not intended to replace current surgical standards, it could provide surgeons with valuable molecular information during the procedure, particularly for margin assessment.
The next step would involve testing the method in a larger clinical trial to determine its effectiveness in a surgical setting.
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