Real-time assessment of cancer surgical margins during surgery

Microendoscopic Electrical Impedance Sensing for Real-time Intraoperative Surgical Margin Assessment

NIH-funded research Dartmouth College · NIH-10865088

This study is testing a new device that helps surgeons check for cancer cells in real-time during surgery, so they can make sure they remove all the cancerous tissue while you're still in the operating room, which could lead to better outcomes and fewer follow-up treatments.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionDartmouth College NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Hanover, United States)
Project IDNIH-10865088 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing a device that can assess the surgical margins of cancerous tissues in real-time during surgery. Currently, surgeons evaluate these margins only after the procedure, which can lead to leaving cancer cells behind and necessitating further treatments. By using electrical impedance sensing, the device aims to provide immediate feedback to surgeons, allowing them to make informed decisions about additional tissue removal while the patient is still in the operating room. This approach could significantly improve surgical outcomes and reduce the need for additional interventions.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients undergoing surgical procedures for cancer treatment.

Not a fit: Patients who are not undergoing surgery or those with non-cancerous conditions may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to fewer patients experiencing positive surgical margins, thereby reducing the need for additional cancer treatments and improving overall quality of life.

How similar studies have performed: Similar approaches using real-time margin assessment technologies have shown promise in improving surgical outcomes in other cancer types.

Where this research is happening

Hanover, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions CancerousCancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.