Abstract: The invention relates to a detection apparatus (30) for determining a state of tissue. The detection apparatus (30) comprises a fluorescence spectrum providing unit (2, 3) for providing a fluorescence spectrum of the tissue, a differentiation unit (4) for generating a derivative of the fluorescence spectrum, and a tissue state determination unit (5) for determining the state of the tissue from the derivative. This allows determining the state of the tissue, even if characteristics, which are related to the state of the tissue, are only hardly visible or not visible at all in the fluorescence spectrum. The reliability of determining the state of the tissue, for instance, whether the tissue is cancerous or not, can therefore be improved.