New Eyewear Helps Surgeons "See" Cancer

"Experimental glasses that seem to improve a doctor's ability to see cancer cells during surgery may help reduce cancer patients' need for follow-up operations, according to a new study," reports Philly.com. "The researchers said that cancer cells can be extremely hard to see, even under high-powered magnification. When viewed through this new high-tech eyewear, cancer cells glow blue and are apparently easier to distinguish from healthy cells. This means stray tumors are less likely to be left behind after surgery, the researchers said. The new system was developed by a team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis that was led by Samuel Achilefu, a professor of radiology and biomedical engineering. Dr. Julie Margenthaler, a breast surgeon and associate professor of surgery at the university, was the first to use the technology during surgery, on Monday." Read more.

Vision at Home Worse Than in a Clinic/Shop

“Adults have better vision in clinics rather than at home, due to poor home lighting, according to a study by Anjali M. Bhorade, M.D., MSCI, of the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, and colleagues,” notes Medical News Today. “Clinicians often assume that vision measured in the clinic is equivalent to vision at home, according to the study background. However, many patients report visual difficulties greater than expected based on their vision testing in the clinic. Between 2005 and 2009, researchers studied 126 patients with and 49 without glaucoma (ages 55 to 90 years old) from the Glaucoma and Comprehensive Eye Clinics at Washington University in St. Louis. Patients underwent clinic and home visits and several aspects of their vision were measured.” Read more.

Gene Mutation Linked to AMD

Medical News Today notes that "an international team of researchers, led by scientists at The Genome Institute at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, has identified a gene mutation linked to age-related macular degeneration (AMD)." Read more.

Moving Cells to Light Beams

"Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown they can coax cells to move toward a beam of light. The feat is a first step toward manipulating cells to control insulin secretion or heart rate using light," according to Science Digest. "Their research is published April 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition." Read more.