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The Barrow 5-ALA Intraoperative Confocal (BALANCE) Study

This study will look at how well 5-ALA, an amino acid compound, can identify cancer cells during surgery and improve tumor removal in patients with high- and low-grade gliomas. Select patients take an oral dose of either 5-ALA or ascorbic acid a few hours before surgery. During the procedure surgeons use a special microscope that sends out blue light onto the tumor tissue. When the light hits the tumor, the 5-ALA reflects the light and the tumor cells glow in the dark. This allows the surgeon to better pinpoint tumor margins.

 

Status
Open and enrolling subjects.
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Age Range
  • 18+
Total Participants
260