Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Vanderbilt University have received a $3.7 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to pioneer a novel approach to prostate cancer surgery that combines advanced robotics and low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology.
Overview of the Project
In the new project, researchers will work to adapt a robot from the Vanderbilt University startup company Virtuoso Surgical to remove prostate cancer lesions. They will integrate the robot with the medical technology manufacturer Promaxo’s low-field MRI scanner—which, unlike transrectal ultrasounds, can image the prostate without blocking surgical access to the lesions.
The investigators emphasized that the aim of the research is to allow highly accurate, patient-tailored prostate cancer surgeries without the need for traditional incisions.
Conclusions
“Our goal is to eliminate the many complications associated with whole-gland prostate removal to treat prostate cancer,” explained William Grissom, PhD, the Medtronic Professor of Biomedical Discovery and Innovation at the School of Medicine and School of Engineering at Case Western Reserve University. “Targeted removal of localized prostate lesions could alleviate these complications but is challenging because cancerous tissue can appear identical to healthy tissue in endoscopic images, making accurate surgery difficult,” he added.
The research could mark a major step in developing minimally invasive treatments for prostate cancer, with the potential to improve both safety and efficiency among patients.
“The new robot will be able to carefully guide surgical instruments directly to prostate cancer lesions identified in high-field MRI images. This will enable surgeons to focus treatment on specific cancerous lesions,” concluded Robert Webster, PhD, the Richard A. Schroeder Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University.
