About our research

Dr Nicole Dmochowska is a Cancer Council SA funded research fellow from Adelaide University who is developing a new, brighter surgical dye to help with the removal of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer quite often comes with a poor prognosis. It is a difficult cancer to diagnose early as it rarely shows symptoms until it has spread to other organs or grown large enough to affect how the pancreas functions.

Why is surgical dye important?

Surgical dye is designed to highlight which parts of the organ are cancerous, making it easier for surgeons to differentiate between the cancer and healthy tissue. It means they can remove more of the tumour, even when parts of it may be difficult to see or blend in with the pancreas.

Why is this research vital?

Dr Dmochowska says current surgical dyes fade quickly, meaning it is sometimes difficult for surgeons to see and remove the full tumour. Her team is working to develop two new dye formulations; one to help surgeons better see blood vessels, the other to selectively target cancer cells so surgeons can better see where the tumour starts and what needs to be removed.

“There’s a critical unmet need in pancreatic cancer for developing an agent that can better map the tumour and helps surgeons remove more of the tumour,” Dr Dmochowska says. 

How will it help with pancreatic cancer?

In most cases, by the time pancreatic cancer is detected, treatment options are limited.

Dr Dmochowska says complete surgical removal offers the highest chances of a cure for the disease, but it isn’t always that simple.

“Even microscopic amounts of these tumours left behind can severely affect a patient’s prognosis,” she says.

“The development of this dye would hopefully enable surgeons to resect more of the tumour and then improve the prognosis for patients, but then also potentially the quality-of-life post-surgery as well.”

Daffodil Day, on Thursday 20 August, encourages all South Australians to help fund vital cancer research happening right here in South Australia. You can give hope to South Australians impacted by cancer by buying a bunch of daffodils or making a donation.

Learn more about Cancer Council SA Research.