Endomicroscopy to find lung cancer earlier
Early Detection and Diagnosis of Lung Cancer with Endomicroscopy
This project uses a tiny, high-resolution imaging tool during bronchoscopy to find cancer earlier in people at high risk for lung cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11191447 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a lung nodule found on screening, doctors usually need a tissue sample to know whether it is cancer, but many biopsies are invasive or miss the target. This project uses endomicroscopy/optical coherence imaging tools developed at the lab to look at lung tissue in real time during bronchoscopy so doctors can better see where to take biopsy samples. The team aims to guide low-risk bronchoscopic biopsies to the most suspicious spots to increase diagnostic success and avoid higher-risk procedures. Procedures and imaging would be done at the hospital as part of clinical work to compare standard biopsy practice with the new imaging guidance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people at high risk for lung cancer or those with lung nodules identified on screening who are scheduled for bronchoscopy or biopsy.
Not a fit: Patients without lung nodules, those who cannot undergo bronchoscopy, or people with widely metastatic disease are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce unnecessary invasive procedures and help doctors diagnose lung cancer earlier with safer biopsies.
How similar studies have performed: Early pilot studies of endomicroscopy and optical coherence techniques in the lungs have shown promise for improving biopsy guidance, but larger clinical validation is still needed.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suter, Melissa J — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Suter, Melissa J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.