[Tissue spectroscopy. New generation of optical methods for cancer detection]

Recent developments in the field of new, non-invasive, sensitive methods of cancer detection based on measurements of autofluorescence of cells are discussed. Research oriented on a detection of human cancer has been carried on by several groups for last six years only but has already yielded important data pointing to a possibility of both in situ and in vitro detection of cancerous tissues in several human organs, especially lung, gynecological tract, skin and gastro-intestinal tract. At least two such methods have been currently subject to clinical tests.