Biophysical Basis of Skin Cancer Margin Assessment Using Raman Spectroscopy

The study explored the use of Raman spectroscopy for assessing tumor margins during skin cancer surgery, specifically basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Conducted on skin tissue samples from 30 patients undergoing Mohs surgery, the research found high correlations between histopathology and Raman images for BCC and normal structures. The study identified significant biochemical differences in nucleus, keratin, collagen, triolein, and ceramide concentrations between BCC and normal tissues, with the nucleus providing the most discriminant power (90% sensitivity, 92% specificity). These findings suggested that Raman spectroscopy could be a promising tool for guiding surgical resection of BCC margins.