Development and Evaluation of Targeted Optical Imaging Probes for Image‐Guided Surgery in Head and Neck Cancer

Abstract Head and neck cancer is the 7th most common cancer in the world and the primary treatment is surgical resection. Optical probes have shown great potential for application in image‐guided surgery to delineate tumor margins more accurately. Special biomarkers that are aberrant in tumors are considered in tumor‐targeting strategies. Targeted fluorescent probes can enable accurate visualization of tumor margins with appropriate targeting strategies, thereby providing better sensitivity and specificity. In this review, the preclinical evidence on optical probes that have been developed with specific targeting strategies is summarized and challenges in the clinical translation of novel targeted fluorescent probes are discussed.