Shedding New Light On Ovarian Cancer

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Ovarian cancer is a very troubling cancer because there are few warning signs and it is very difficult to treat when it gets to an advanced stage. But a report in the journal Nature Medicine has some interesting research.

Scientists used what is called a fluorescent marker to light up areas where cancer cells have receptors. They know that ovarian tumors can be directly visualized during surgery.

During cancer surgery, it is not always easy for doctors to determine the borders of the tumor, a limitation that can often result in relapse from the regrowth of cancer cells that were not removed during the operation. The fluorescent marker lets them target these areas more closely. The work is being done in the Netherlands.

Reported By Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio Medical Editor