Selective tumor ablation via femtosecond laser resonant with collagen

The selective laser ablation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) which is an aggressive and highly lethal solid tumor is of great significance. However, existing thermal ablation methods such as radiofrequency, microwave and laser ablation all lack the ability to selectively ablate cancerous tissue while preserving healthy pancreas. In this study, by developing a 6.1 μm femtosecond laser at the resonant wavelength of collagen with an output power exceeding 1 W, we demonstrate selective ablation of PDACs from 13 patients with significant preservation of normal pancreatic tissue, based on the collagen-enriched nature of PDACs. 2 to 3 times higher ablation efficiency in PDACs than in normal pancreatic tissues is demonstrated. Through resonant laser ablation, the growth rate of cultured PDACs is suppressed to 1/8 of that observed in the control group. Moreover, hollow-core fiber is designed and developed to guide the 6.1 μm femtosecond laser for minimally invasive ablation, which further validates the translational potential. The developed selective laser ablation technique could be extended to other collagen-rich malignant tumors—such as melanomas, breast tumors, colon tumors, kidney tumors, and gliomas, making it versatile medical technology.