Point-of-care instrument for diagnosis and image-guided intervention of Colo-Rectal Cancer

ended

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death in Europe, yet survival rates rise dramatically when caught early. A contributing factor is that current colonoscopy, i.e., white light video or optical narrow band imaging, is inadequate for in-vivo detection and characterisation of the various types of (pre-)cancerous lesions found in the colon. Point-of-care, real-time polyp diagnosis and image guided intervention has the potential to save huge healthcare costs by enabling early onset of treatment; thus reduced recurrence rate, by improving interval screening, and by reducing pathology costs incurred during colonoscopy. A complete, reliable optical diagnosis is sensitive to morphological and biochemical changes. Unfortunately, no single optical method provides both. PROSCOPE provides unique combination of label-free, non-ionizing, proven optical imaging modalities that provides higher sensitivity and specificity compared to current colonoscopy thus enabling a step-change in point-of-care management of CRC. PROSCOPE develops and integrates recent advances in optical imaging and optical probe technology into one platform. The concept is validated in clinical settings using existing endoscopes providing minimally invasive optical imaging that fits into current clinical procedures. A leading medical device manufacturer and clinicians are involved at every stage of the development and validation. PROSCOPE is driven by unmet clinical needs in the field of gastroenterological diagnosis with a clear business case: Combination of optical imaging techniques offers the potential to vastly improve early diagnosis of CRC achieving specificity and sensitivity above 90%, reducing the number of excisional biopsies by 50%, and improving interval screening planning, thereby reducing healthcare costs drastically and benefitting patients. The consortium includes five leading academics, including hospital clinics, and four SMEs covering the entire value chain.