Is profiling cell size a potential biomarker for breast cancer?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessment of q-space imaging for profiling cell size and packing as a potential non-invasive in vivo biomarker of neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment effectiveness in breast cancer
IRAS ID
200888
Contact name
Patricia Burns
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 12 months, 0 days
Research summary
Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer affecting women. New developments in medicine have focused on personalising medical care in all aspects of screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. In patients with large breast cancers the treatment often requires the use of chemotherapy prior to surgery, termed neoadjuvant chemotherapy. During the course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy tumours will reduce in size and this tumour down-staging is then used to facilitate breast conservation surgery rather than mastectomy.
This ability of profiling tumour structure is valuable in examining treatment effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients undergoing breast cancer treatment.
A quantitative diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique is capable of estimating cell size. Diffusion MRI investigates cell structure through measuring the change in restrictive conditions for which water can randomly move within cell structure (microstructure). Using advanced diffusion MRI offers the potential to better assess the extent of residual tumour after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
We propose in this study, to scan breast cancer tissue removed from the patient in order to assess the ability of advanced diffusion MRI to detect differences in cell microstructure. We will also perform histopathological analysis on the breast cancer tissue. The ability to detect differences in microstructure in two different grades of breast cancer will be investigated.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0221
Date of REC Opinion
29 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion