Despina Kantere - New laser scanning microscopy techniques – detection tool for skin cancer

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New laser scanning microscopy techniques – detection tool for skin cancer

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Histopathologic examination of tissue biopsies is the current gold standard for the diagnosis of dermatological problems. Similarly, in oncology, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is the state-of-the-art diagnostic method for metastasis screening. Although these methods are safe, they are associated with some limitations, particularly because they are invasive, labor-intensive, and time-consuming. Moreover, histopathological analysis does not always lead to conclusive results.

So, there is a need for developing new, fast, with high specificity and sensitivity, non-invasive diagnostic methods for the diagnosis of dermatological and oncological problems. Laser scanning microscopy techniques, namely reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and multiphoton microscopy (MPM) have the potential to meet this need.

- In my research we investigated the potential of these techniques in diagnosing Lichen sclerosus, Basal cell carcinomas and Malignant melanoma metastases in lymph nodes. The obtained results from my research were indicative of the potential of laser scanning microscopy techniques as diagnostic tools for the detection of Lichen sclerosus, Basal cell carcinomas and Malignant melanoma metastases in lymph nodes, says Despina Kantere, doctor and specialist at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

The findings are important not only for diagnostic aspects but also for future work in which photodynamic effects might be required. Future studies are now encouraged to fully explore the potential of these techniques to be used for dermatological and oncological investigations in a non-invasive/intravital manner.