Fluorescence-guided intraoperative cancer detection is an effective method for the surgical removal of solid tumors. Extending molecular imaging from near-infrared (NIR, 700 – 900 nm) to the shortwave-infrared (SWIR, 900 – 1400 nm) region enables deep-tissue visualization of biomolecules in the living system resulting from the low tissue autofluorescence and scattering. For biomedical applications, the development of highly biocompatible organic fluorophores is very crucial. Although several SWIR emitting organic probes have been reported, the development of clinically applicable fluorophore is still challenging. Recently, we reported clinically applicable π-conjugation extended indocyanine green (ICG, only FDA approved NIR probe) analogues as a biocompatible SWIR-emitting fluorescent probes and demonstrated non-invasive targeted breast cancer imaging. In this presentation, I will discuss the design and development of novel SWIR-emitting cyanine dyes based on anthracene and phenanthrene scaffolds and demonstrate their applications in both targeted and non-targeted fluorescence imaging across multiple cancer models. Finally, I will introduce the concept of the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect induced by fluorescent molecular probes, highlighting their potential as pan-cancer imaging agents capable of labeling a broad range of tumor types.