A NEW tool developed by South Australian scientists could help surgeons in the fight against breast cancer.
University of Adelaide researchers have developed an optical fibre probe that distinguishes breast cancer tissue from normal tissue.
It has the potential to help surgeons be more precise in surgery as well as prevent follow up surgery.
The probe works by detecting the difference in the pH between the two types of tissues.
Project leader Erik Schartner said the probe offers a high sensitivity for detecting the different pH levels in a fully portable setup.
The pH indicator emits a different colour of light depending on the acidity.
"How we see it working is the surgeon using the probe to test questionable tissue during surgery," Dr Schartner said.
"If the readout shows the tissues are cancerous, that can immediately be removed."
Current surgical techniques to remove cancerous tissue lack a reliable way to identify the tissue during surgery. Any tissue left behind is normally picked up in post-operative pathology.
"This can be quite traumatic to the patient, and has been shown to have long-term detrimental effects on the patient's outcome," Dr Schartner said.
The device is currently in an experimental stage, but researchers hope to start clinical studies in the future.