LASER World Of PHOTONICS 2013: Hear How Biophotonics Can Destroy Cancer Cells With Pinpoint Accuracy

The LASER World of PHOTONICS Trade Fair and Congress (May 12 – 16, 2013, Munich) will include a special focus on medical advances and technology using biophotonics to detect and kill cancer cells with little damage to surrounding tissue.

It is already possible to mark tumors such as those in the bladder with substances that accumulate in tumor cells and fluoresce under special light. This helps physicians determine the optimum biopsy location. In the future, however, removing tissue samples may be replaced with an “optical biopsy”.

Current optical biopsies examine tissue using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). This technique, well known in ophthalmology, allows examination of transparent or even non-transparent tissue at a depth of 1 to 2 millimeters. This procedure helps determine whether tumor cells have broken through to deeper tissue layers and if there is a threat of metastases.

Research clinics today have used endoscopic probes equipped for confocal or 2-photon microscopy to examine tumor cell structures up to 100 micrometers deep in the tissue.

Future optical biopsies using 2-photon endo-microscopy might allow examination up to 1,000 micrometers into the tumor tissue. Endoscopic probes for Raman spectroscopic examinations could provide additional important information about the metabolism of tumor cells. These and other biophotonic products and developments will be discussed at the upcoming Trade Fair and Congress.

Using photodynamic therapy to destroy tumor cells and bacteria
These optical techniques will also help diagnose other parts of the body such as the trachea and esophagus, where classic techniques sometimes fail to detect early-stage tumors. Fluorescence imaging or so-called narrow band imaging could be used to find conspicuous mucosal areas in at-risk patients more easily than using endoscopy alone, explains Dr. Christian S. Betz, Senior Physician and Lecturer at the ENT Clinic at the University in Munich. Betz is one of the founders of the Head and Neck Optical Diagnostics Society (HNODS).

HNODS members will discuss these and similar topics at their annual conference. For the first time ever, the 2013 HNODS conference is an official partner of the ECBO (European Conferences on Biomedical Optics) and is being held in conjunction with the World of Photonics Congress. The ECBO addresses scientists, engineers and physicians that use optical and photonics techniques for medical diagnostics and therapy.

Revolutionary photonics techniques are also being developed for therapy. Dr. Carsten M. Philipp, President of the German Association for Laser Medicine and Chief Senior Physician at a Berlin clinic, suggested that light-activated medication might be applied to the sick tissue or bacteria as selectively as possible. The physician would then selectively activate the medication using a certain wavelength of light, destroying the cells.

According to Dr. Philipp, the primary focus of biophotonics research currently lies in diagnostic methods: “Photonics techniques make it possible to characterize and depict groups of cells, i.e. to differentiate between sick and healthy cells in living organisms – on location, without taking tissue samples, and practically ‘on the fly’, i.e. in real time.” His expectations are primarily based on three mutually complementary approaches: optical coherence tomography (OCT), confocal and 2-photon microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.

The LASER Congress will focus on the latest biophotonics techniques such as optical coherence tomography, clinical and biomedical spectroscopy and therapeutic laser applications, attempting to bridge the gap between clinicians, engineers and scientists in order to benefit the patient.

Another of the fair’s highlights is a special show organized by a German research group highlighting biophotonics research during the last decade, including super-resolution light nanoscopy to examine living cells and techniques to identify bacteria early and improve hygiene in hospitals.

Long journey from the laboratory to clinical applications
While these techniques have been proven in the laboratory, there remains a long journey to develop clinic-capable devices that can be integrated into endoscopes according to Dr. Ronald Sroka, the physicist in charge of new minimally invasive procedures at the Laser Research Laboratory at the LIFE Center of the LMU University Clinic in Munich. He is also Secretary General of the German Association for Laser Medicine (DGLM).

At LASER World of PHOTONICS, Philipp and Sroka will chair an Application Panel with practical lectures in Hall B1 in which the DGLM puts the latest research trends and physicians’ needs up for discussion (May 14, 10:00 – 13:00). Other lecture series will focus on topics such as optical diagnostics and ophthalmology (May 13, 14:00 – 17:00), lasers for analysis and imaging in biophotonics (May 14, 14:00 – 17:00) and “Visions for future diagnostics – Endoscopy” (May 15, 10:00 – 13:00).

About LASER World of PHOTONICS
The LASER World of PHOTONICS trade fairs and their congresses are the most important marketplaces and think tanks for the worldwide laser and photonics industry and its users. They combine research and applications and promote the utilization and further development of optical technologies.

Messe München International has held LASER World of PHOTONICS every two years since 1973. The fair was the first event to focus on the sector for optical technologies in the world, and it celebrates its forty-year anniversary in May 2013.

The World of Photonics Congress, which is Europe’s largest photonics congress and is organized in cooperation with the world’s leading organizations in this field, is held at the same time as the fair. A spin-off event, LASER World of PHOTONICS China, is the leading regional trade show for optical technologies in China. It takes place in Shanghai every year in March. The new event LASER World of PHOTONICS INDIA takes place since 2012 and is a regional trade fair for optical technologies in India, now taking place in Mumbai every year.

With a total of 1,677 exhibitors and more than 64,000 visitors in Munich, Shanghai and Mumbai, Messe München International is the world’s leading trade show organizer for lasers and photonics.

The websites at www.world-of-photonics.net feature information on the photonics trade shows, industry information, product innovations, and application reports and are a virtual platform for optical technologies.

About the conference program at the World of Photonics Congress
The world’s leading scientific organizations in the field of photonics will organize conferences under the umbrella of the World of Photonics Congress from May 12 – 16, 2013:

• “CLEO/Europe-EQEC”, organized by the European Physical Society (EPS), sponsored by the EPS Quantum Electronics and Optics Division, OSA, IEEE/LEOS
• “Optofluidics”, “Manufacturing of Optical Components” and “Advanced Optomechanical “Engineering, organized by the European Optical Society (EOS)
• “LiM - Lasers in Manufacturing”, organized by the Scientific Laser Society (WLT); 
• “ECBO - European Conference on Biomedical Optics“, organized by the Optical Society of America (OSA) and the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE)
• Optical Metrology, organized by SPIE Europe

The conference program is rounded out by application panels featuring practical lectures about laser and photonics applications organized by Messe München. Additional information: www.photonics-congress.com

About Messe München International
Messe München International is one of the world´s leading trade show companies. In Munich alone it organizes around 40 trade shows for capital and consumer goods, and key high tech industries. Each year more than 30,000 exhibitors and around two million visitors take part in the events held at Messe München exhibition center, the ICM – International Congress Center München, and in the MOC Veranstaltungscenter München. The leading international trade fairs of Messe München International are all FKM-certified, i.e. exhibitor and visitor numbers and the figures for exhibition space are collected in line with agreed standards and independently audited on behalf of the FKM (Gesellschaft zur Freiwilligen Kontrolle von Messe- und Ausstellungszahlen), a society for the voluntary monitoring of fair and exhibition statistics.

In addition, Messe München International organizes trade shows in Asia, Russia, the Middle East, South America and South Africa. With eleven affiliates abroad – in Europe and in Asia – and over 60 foreign representatives actively serving over 90 countries, Messe München International has a worldwide business network. The Group also takes a pioneering role as regards sustainability: It is the first trade-fair company to be awarded energy-efficiency certification from the technical inspection authorities TÜV SÜD.

Reader contact is Sabine Kallup - Munich International Trade Fairs Manager, Munich International Trade Fairs at the German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc., New York skallup@munich-tradefairs.com

Journalist accreditation is now online: http://www.world-of-photonics.net/en/laser/press/accreditation

The press release and respective pictures can be found at  www.world-of-photonics.net/en/laser/press/pressreleases

Details about the World of Photonics Congress 2013 are available at www.photonics-congress.com

Photos from the 2011 fair are available at www.media.messe-muenchen.de/Laser/#1358327592427_0