DOWNERS GROVE, IL / ACCESS Newswire / February 25, 2026 / Duly Health and Care this month announced that Dr. Sameer Sharma, a gynecologic oncologist at Duly Health and Care's Chicagoland medical group, DuPage Medical Group, Ltd., is the first physician in Illinois to perform ovarian cancer surgery using Cytalux, a newly approved imaging agent that causes cancerous tissue to "glow" - and can thus help surgeons see and remove tumors with greater precision.
"Ovarian cancer surgery often comes down to what you can't see," Dr. Sharma said. "Cytalux gives us another set of eyes in the operating room. When cancer cells light up, it helps us be more precise, more confident, and ultimately more effective for our patients."
Dr. Sharma brings more than 20 years of experience in gynecologic oncology and performs about 60 advanced ovarian cancer surgeries each year, placing him among the highest-volume ovarian cancer surgeons in the country. Research shows that patients treated by experienced, high-volume surgeons have better outcomes - particularly for ovarian cancer, where complete tumor removal is critical.
Administered prior to surgery, Cytalux causes ovarian cancer cells to "glow" under a specialized camera. That enables surgeons to detect disease that may not be visible to the naked eye.
"For patients, this technology can mean the difference between leaving microscopic disease behind and removing everything we possibly can," Dr. Sharma said. "That matters - not just for today's surgery but for what comes next in their treatment and recovery."
Only a small number of specialized health systems nationwide offer Cytalux for ovarian cancer surgery, placing Duly among a select group delivering cutting-edge cancer care.
"Ovarian cancer remains one of the most deadly gynecologic cancers, claiming more than 12,000 lives each year in the United States - including nearly 500 in Illinois," said Dr. Sharma. "Innovations like this, combined with experienced oncologic surgical care, give us new ways to push outcomes in the right direction - right here in the community."
DuPage Medical Group, Ltd. dba Duly Health and Care of Northern Illinois ("Duly") is Duly's Chicagoland medical group.
About Duly Health and Care
The Duly Health and Care brand consists of some of the largest independent, multi-specialty, physician-directed medical groups in the nation, with more than 1,000 primary care and specialty care providers and over 6,000 team members across more than 150 locations. The Duly Health and Care brand includes three medical groups - DuPage Medical Group Ltd., Quincy Medical Group, and The South Bend Clinic LLC. Duly is deeply committed to caring for patients in traditional and value-based care arrangements, ensuring a focus on quality, efficiency, and enhanced patient experiences throughout the Midwest.
For more information, visit duly?healthand?care?.com.
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Katelyn Moon
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SOURCE: Duly Health and Care
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/duly-surgeon-first-in-illinois-to-use-tumor-illuminating-technology-f-1140764
