Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy in Cancer Diagnosis: Current Issues and Application Outlook

Abstract

The review highlights the power and prospects of confocal laser scanning microscopy in cutaneous cancer diagnosis. This non-invasive technology allows optical skin sectioning at a varying depth with no special tissue treatment or staining. This diagnostic method is currently considered the most promising in imaging and assessment of superficial skin neoplasms. It enables a deeper investigation of skin structures at higher beam powers, which, however, implies possible skin damage. Recent technological advances in the field facilitated the development of new, portable, more practical personal confocal laser scanning microscopy devices providing for an efficient and deeper imaging of skin lesions less accessible otherwise. The technology enables a multiple repeated visualisation of the same skin spot at different time intervals for monitoring the neoplasm progression, therapy impact and cancer dynamics in skin. Numerous studies have determined the basic confocal properties of various tumoural lesions and showed a good correlation with dermatoscopy and histology data. This diagnostic technique allows a multiple non-damaging examination of same skin area, as well as the monitoring of tumourigenesis, clinical dynamics and treatment outcome.