Metabolomic Analysis of Human Breast Cancer

Leo L. Cheng¹, Elita DeFeo, Yannick Berker, Elena Brachtel

Research and technology has lead to an increase of early breast cancer detections, however there are still some controversies involving disease management. Traditional mastectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy is no longer standard protocol. Using HRMAS we have shown that metabolomic spectra from various pathological features can provide enough information to distinguish between cancerous vs. benign tissue, and tumor type and grade. We hope to use these findings to design new MRS paradigms aimed at non-invasive diagnosis, characterization and monitoring of breast tumors that will optimize patient survival and comfort, while reducing healthcare costs.