Novel Mass Spectrometric Utilities for Assisting in Oncological Surgery

Broad application of mass spectrometry in clinical practice was only possible with the development of the physicochemical fundamentals of the method. New ionization techniques and ion detection systems have not only enhance the variety of biomolecules in diagnostics, but also provided an opportunity to apply direct mass spectrometry methods to guide surgical interventions. Here we present a brief review of the latest achievements in mass spectrometry applications in oncological surgery and neurosurgery in particular. We describe our recent advance in this area and demonstrate that the combination of different mass spectrometric techniques improves the overall comprehensiveness of the analysis.