Fluorescent tracer helps identify precancerous lesions in pancreatic cancer models
MD Anderson Research Highlight August 28, 2025
During surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer, pre-malignant pancreatic lesions ¨C which can develop into pancreatic cancer ¨C often go unnoticed and can later cause recurrence. Researchers led by , investigated whether a new fluorescent imaging agent, V-1520, could better identify these areas for removal. V-1520 works by locating and binding to a specific protein biomarker that is overexpressed in high-risk tumor-associated macrophages within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Once bound, it emits near-infrared light that can be detected by imaging equipment, allowing surgeons to visualize high-risk areas during surgery. Notably, preclinical models showed a strong uptake of V-1520 in cancer-associated inflammation, but not in pancreatitis ¨C a common but benign condition. Since V-1520 does not target tumors directly and instead binds to overexpressed proteins in the tumor microenvironment, this early detection strategy could also be effective in other cancer types. Learn more in .
This approach could allow surgery to be much more effective in preventing recurrence of pancreatic cancers.