The brightener works well in detecting lymph node metastases in thyroid cancer

The research is of great interest, because metastases to the lymph nodes are common in both thyroid cancer and other cancers

Researchers at UMCG were able to detect metastatic cancer cells in the lymph nodes of thyroid cancer with the help of a light-emitting material. This emerged from the study conducted by a research group of oncologist, Shelto Cruyff. In 2017, he began a study to visualize metastatic tumor cells in the treatment of thyroid cancer. He received a grant from the KWF for this study.

The study showed that the MET gene was increased in thyroid cancer. She then linked a fluorescent (luminous) label, the ‘tracker’ to that specific gene. Then they set up a study at the UMCG in collaboration with Erasmus MC, giving 19 patients a fluorescent tracer to see if metastases could be shown in this way. The brightener (EMI-137) appears not only to be safe, but also very successful in demonstrating the metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The group would like to move to the next stage where this trace can really be used as a benchmark in the operating environment.

The research is of great interest, because metastases to the lymph nodes are common in both thyroid cancer and other types of cancer. Until now, it was often not clear to the surgeon during surgery which of these lymph nodes contained cancerous cells. As a result, large numbers of glands are often removed (gland dissection) with every chance of an associated complication. Thanks to Kruijff’s research, these cancer cells circulating in the lymph nodes can be better mapped.