Inova surgeons use glowing dye to detect 30% more ovarian tumors

Surgeons at Inova Schar Cancer in Fairfax, Virginia, are now using a drug called CYTALUX to identify ovarian tumors that are invisible to the naked eye. The FDA-approved agent is administered as an infusion before surgery, causing malignant cells to emit light in the operating room. This real-time visualization helps medical teams distinguish between healthy tissue and cancerous growths with greater precision.

Dr. Leslie Randall, director of Gynecologic Oncology at Inova, explained that the technology is particularly useful after chemotherapy. Treated cancer can be difficult to differentiate from normal tissue during a standard hysterectomy. The dye provides a visual marker that indicates whether a specific mass is viable tumor tissue or not. Randall noted that surgeons must still exercise judgment because lymph nodes can also illuminate without containing cancer.

Clinical trials demonstrated that CYTALUX helped surgeons identify additional cancerous tissue in nearly 30% of patients. This improvement is critical because ovarian cancer surgery is typically performed only once during a patient's treatment course. Randall stated that the goal is to remove as much disease as possible in that single procedure, and the imaging tool enhances their ability to see every lesion.

Colleen Abbott, a 60-year-old resident of Gaithersburg, became the first local patient to undergo surgery using this technology. Diagnosed in February after experiencing pelvic pressure, Abbott learned her cancer had originated in a fallopian tube and spread throughout her abdomen. She has since completed six rounds of chemotherapy and the initial surgery. Abbott credited the imaging technology with helping her doctors remove all visible disease, placing her in remission.

Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest gynecologic cancer in the United States, claiming more than 12,000 lives annually. The disease is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage because symptoms are often vague and no routine screening test exists for women at average risk. The ability to detect microscopic disease during surgery offers a potential advantage in reducing the amount of cancer left behind.

Inova is the first health system in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region to utilize CYTALUX for ovarian cancer procedures. While some patients report minor side effects such as nausea, doctors indicated that the drug is generally well tolerated and manageable with medication. The hospital began using the agent in October 2026.

Abbott said she is grateful for the new tool, which she believes will give other women more time with their families. The technology provides a high-contrast view of the abdominal cavity, allowing surgeons to target lesions that might otherwise be missed during a standard operation.