NORMAL APPEARING BREAST TISSUE ON BREAST MRI HAS ALTERED CHEMISTRY CONSISTENT WITH “SWITCHED-ON” STATES IN WOMEN WITH INVASIVE CARCINOMA

Motivation: Adenoma-carcinoma cell models examined using 2D COSY recorded altered triglyceride, cholesterol and metabolites prior to malignant transformation. Goal(s): Investigate if such chemical profiles are recorded in vivo in MRI apparently normal tissue in women with invasive cancer. Approach: Nineteen women with invasive breast cancer were compared with healthy low risk controls. Results: Compared to controls, MRI normal tissue in cancer patients with low-density breasts recorded increases in cross peak F (68%), cholesterol (127%), and tumor promotor UDP-GlcNAc (81%). For dense breasts, increases recorded in cross peak F (47%), decreases in cholesterol (12%), triglyceride (56%) and double bonds (40%) in "switched-on" tissue. Impact: Altered chemistry states, consistent with mechanisms leading to development of invasive carcinoma, are recorded in vivo from breast tissue distant to the cancer compared to controls. These states are referred to as "switched-on" tissue and differ according to breast density.