Most of the complicated tumors in the medical world are a problem because they cannot be detected easily by the gadgets that we have available today, but with this new innovative experiment doctors will be able to detect tumors at an early stage so that they can immediately start working on it and prevent any casualties that occur if the tumor has grown in size. Researchers at the Vanderbilt University have now come up with new fluorescent compounds that can light up inside the body when they come in contact with any tumor inside the body. This gives a fair idea to the doctors to determine the place and the exact size of the tumor so that they can start their medication and operation process.

The compounds are fluorescent inhibitors of the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) – could have a wider applications for detecting tumors earlier, monitoring them during operations and defining their exact shapes for precise tumor removal. COX-2 is an attractive target for molecular imaging because it is not found in normal human tissues, and then it is used in inflammatory lesions and tumors which make it glow inside the body. However, researchers are still working on COX-2 to make it better for grown-up tumors.

Many researchers are now trying to use the same compounds in vivo imaging where they can easily get the information about the exact shape, size and location of the tumor so that doctors do not have any problems while they are operating and removing a tumor. A team of medical experts is also working on additional toxicology and pharmacology of these fluorescent compounds so that they do not have side effects inside the body. The Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science is now working on different applications of this COX-2 to make it enable for cellular and animal imaging.

Jyotsna Ramani from Vanderbilt University Medical Center