Dye helps surgeons see hidden ovarian cancer

Inova Schar Cancer became the first health system in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region to administer CYTALUX, a new FDA-approved imaging drug for ovarian cancer surgery. The agent is infused into patients before the operation, causing malignant cells to fluoresce and become visible to the surgeon in real time.

In clinical trials, the technology allowed surgeons to identify additional cancerous tissue in nearly 30% of patients. This visual aid helps distinguish viable tumors from healthy tissue, a distinction that is difficult to make with the naked eye, particularly after chemotherapy has altered the appearance of the disease.

Colleen Abbott, a 60-year-old mother from Gaithersburg, was the first local patient to undergo the procedure. Diagnosed in February after persistent pelvic pressure, she learned the cancer had originated in a fallopian tube and spread throughout her abdomen. Abbott noted that her physician supported her push for answers during a series of inconclusive tests.

Dr. Leslie Randall, director of Gynecologic Oncology at Inova Schar Cancer, explained that the dye provides a critical advantage during the one definitive surgical intervention typically performed in the course of the disease. "We have to be on the lookout for lymph nodes that light up with the dye because they may not have cancer," Randall said. The tool allows the team to remove as much disease as possible during that single opportunity.

Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest gynecologic cancer in the United States, accounting for more than 12,000 deaths annually. The disease is often diagnosed at an advanced stage because symptoms are vague and no routine screening test exists for women at average risk. The new technology aims to address this gap by improving surgical precision.

Abbott has completed six rounds of chemotherapy and surgery and is currently in remission. She attributed her recovery to the complete removal of the tumor made possible by the imaging aid. Some patients have reported minor side effects from the drug, such as nausea, which doctors manage with medication. Most patients tolerate the infusion well.