Spectral tissue recognition for detecting cancer at breast lumpectomy margins

Explorative, Multi-centre, Prospective, Observational Study Evaluating the Feasibility of the SPCTR Prototype for Margin Assessment During Breast Conserving Surgery in Breast Cancer Patients.

Observational Spctr · NCT07459062

This project will test whether a handheld spectral device with AI can tell cancerous from healthy breast tissue during breast-conserving surgery in adults with confirmed breast cancer.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment100 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorSpctr Industry-sponsored
Locations2 sites (Groningen, Provincie Groningen and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT07459062 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational analytical performance project collects spectral biomarkers from excised breast tissue during breast-conserving surgery and links those measurements to the gold standard of histopathology read by a pathologist. The collected spectra and matched pathology labels will be used to train and optimize an AI classification model to identify positive versus free surgical margins. The team aims for very high performance metrics (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy ≥96% and negative predictive value ≥95%) and will report confidence intervals for each metric. The work is conducted at two Dutch hospitals and does not change routine patient care beyond additional tissue measurements.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (age ≥18) with a confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer who are scheduled for breast-conserving surgery at a participating center are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People having mastectomy (breast removal) or those without a confirmed cancer diagnosis are not expected to benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the device could help surgeons identify positive margins during lumpectomy and reduce the need for repeat surgeries.

How similar studies have performed: Related optical spectroscopy and AI approaches for margin detection have shown promising but variable results in pilot studies, so the approach is plausible but not yet standard of care.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age ≥18 years
* Confirmed diagnosis breast cancer for which surgical procedure is needed
* Planned for breast conserving surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

* Person that undergoes breast amputation without confirmed cancer diagnosis

Where this trial is running

Groningen, Provincie Groningen and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Margin AssessmentBreast Cancer
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.