Inova surgeons use light-up dye to detect hidden ovarian tumors

Inova Schar Cancer has begun using a new imaging agent to help surgeons locate ovarian cancer during operations.

Colleen Abbott, a 60-year-old mother from Gaithersburg, became the first local patient to undergo the procedure. Abbott initially experienced pressure in her pelvic area and persisted in seeking medical attention after initial tests yielded no clear answers. By February, doctors confirmed she had ovarian cancer that had spread throughout her abdomen. The tumor originated in a fallopian tube, a fact that altered the course of her treatment. Abbott is now in remission after completing six rounds of chemotherapy and surgery.

The drug, known as CYTALUX, is administered as an infusion prior to surgery. It causes cancerous cells to fluoresce, allowing surgeons to distinguish viable tumors from healthy tissue in real time. Dr. Leslie Randall, the director of Gynecologic Oncology at Inova Schar Cancer, explained that the visual clarity is particularly useful after chemotherapy has been administered. In those cases, treated cancer can be visually indistinguishable from normal tissue. Randall noted that the dye helps confirm whether a mass is a viable tumor. However, she cautioned that not all illuminated tissue is cancerous. Surgeons must still exercise clinical judgment, as lymph nodes can also glow in response to the dye without containing malignant cells.

Clinical trials for CYTALUX showed that the agent helped surgeons identify additional cancer in nearly 30% of patients. This detection rate is critical because ovarian cancer surgery is typically a single, comprehensive event in a patient's treatment plan. Randall described the goal of the operation as removing as much of the disease as possible in one session to avoid the need for further major interventions. Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest gynecologic cancer in the United States, claiming more than 12,000 lives annually. The disease is often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to vague symptoms and the lack of a routine screening test for women at average risk.

Inova is the first health system in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region to use CYTALUX for this specific purpose. Some patients have reported minor side effects, including nausea, which doctors manage with medication. Most patients tolerate the drug well. Abbott credited the technology and her surgical team with helping her achieve remission. She hopes the tool will extend life for other women, allowing them more time with their families.

The next step for Inova is to continue integrating the imaging agent into standard ovarian cancer surgeries. The hospital aims to expand the use of the technology to more patients in the region. Doctors will continue to monitor patient responses to the infusion and the long-term outcomes of the surgeries performed with the dye.