In the future, surgeons could use special glasses equipped with integrated cameras to detect cancerous changes and lymph nodes invisible to the naked eye, enabling more precise removal of tumor tissue and less invasive surgeries. Scientists from the United States and Macedonian surgeons from the University Clinic for Thoracic and Vascular Surgery are collaborating on this technology; the research involves patients with breast cancer, lung cancer, and thyroid conditions.

The system consists of specialized glasses with modified cameras that utilize infrared light and fluorescent markers to visualize tumorous changes, lymph nodes, and surrounding tissue. The goal is to provide the surgeon with additional information during the operation regarding the location of the affected tissue and whether any cancerous cells remain at the surgical margins following its removal.

Participants in the research include Prof. Dr. Viktor Gruev from the University of Illinois, Dr. Igorche Dzhikovski—Director of the Clinic for Thoracic and Vascular Surgery—and Associate Professor Dr. Borislav Kondov, also from the Clinic for Thoracic and Vascular Surgery. Their scientific collaboration has spanned ten years, and the results of one of their research studies have been published in the prestigious scientific journal “Light: Science & Applications”—part of the “Nature” group—which has an impact factor of 24.0.