Discrimination between two different grades of human glioma based on blood vessel infrared spectral imaging

Gliomas are brain tumours classified into four grades with increasing malignancy from I to IV. The development and the progression of malignant glioma largely depend on the tumour vascularization. Due to their tissue heterogeneity, glioma cases can be difficult to classify into a specific grade using the gold standard of histological observation, hence the need to base classification on a quantitative and reliable analytical method for accurately grading the disease. Previous works focused specifically on vascularization study by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, proving this method to be a way forward to detect biochemical changes in the tumour tissue not detectable by visual techniques. In this project, we employed FTIR imaging using a focal plane array (FPA) detector and globar source to analyse large areas of glioma tumour tissue sections via molecular fingerprinting in view of helping to define markers of the tumour grade. Unsupervised multivariate analysis (hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis) of blood vessel spectral data, retrieved from the FPA images, revealed the fine structure of the borderline between two areas identified by a pathologist as grades III and IV. Spectroscopic indicators are found capable of discriminating different areas in the tumour tissue and are proposed as biomolecular markers for potential future use of grading gliomas. Graphical Abstract Infrared imaging of glioma blood vessels provides a means to revise the pathologists' line of demarcation separating grade III (GIII) from grade IV (GIV) parts

Epstein-Barr virus as a marker of biological aggressiveness in breast cancer

International audienceAlthough a potential role of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BC) has been underlined, results remain conflicting. Particularly, the impact of EBV infection on biological markers of BC has received little investigation

Hormone-replacement therapy influences gene expression profiles and is associated with breast-cancer prognosis: a cohort study

BACKGROUND: Postmenopausal hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) increases breast-cancer risk. The influence of HRT on the biology of the primary tumor, however, is not well understood. METHODS: We obtained breast-cancer gene expression profiles using Affymetrix human genome U133A arrays. We examined the relationship between HRT-regulated gene profiles, tumor characteristics, and recurrence-free survival in 72 postmenopausal women. RESULTS: HRT use in patients with estrogen receptor (ER) protein positive tumors (n = 72) was associated with an altered regulation of 276 genes. Expression profiles based on these genes clustered ER-positive tumors into two molecular subclasses, one of which was associated with HRT use and had significantly better recurrence free survival despite lower ER levels. A comparison with external data suggested that gene regulation in tumors associated with HRT was negatively correlated with gene regulation induced by short-term estrogen exposure, but positively correlated with the effect of tamoxifen. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that post-menopausal HRT use is associated with a distinct gene expression profile related to better recurrence-free survival and lower ER protein levels. Tentatively, HRT-associated gene expression in tumors resembles the effect of tamoxifen exposure on MCF-7 cells

Development of high-throughput ATR-FTIR technology for rapid triage of brain cancer

Non-specific symptoms, as well as the lack of a cost-effective test to triage patients in primary care, has resulted in increased time-to-diagnosis and a poor prognosis for brain cancer patients. A rapid, cost-effective, triage test could significantly improve this patient pathway. A blood test using attenuated total reflection (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for the detection of brain cancer, alongside machine learning technology, is advancing towards clinical translation. However, whilst the methodology is simple and does not require extensive sample preparation, the throughput of such an approach is limited. Here we describe the development of instrumentation for the analysis of serum that is able to differentiate cancer and control patients at a sensitivity and specificity of 93.2% and 92.8%. Furthermore, preliminary data from the first prospective clinical validation study of its kind are presented, demonstrating how this innovative technology can triage patients and allow rapid access to imaging

The Evolution of Cortical and Sub-cortical Lesion Size and Number Correlates with Changes in Cognition in Early-Stage Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Lesion load and activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, as identified by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), correlate only moderately with patients clinical status and evolution. Cortical lesion number and volume measured with advanced MRI may provide better correlates to cognitive dysfunction and disability. In this work, we studied the clinical impact of advanced MRI metrics of cortical and subcortical lesion evolution in a cohort of early relapsing-remitting MS patients. The number and volume of lesions that “shrunk”, disappeared or remained stable over time were strong determinants of changes in cognition in our patients cohort

The Evolution of Cortical and Sub-cortical Lesion Size and Number Correlates with Changes in Cognition in Early-Stage Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Lesion load and activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, as identified by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), correlate only moderately with patients clinical status and evolution. Cortical lesion number and volume measured with advanced MRI may provide better correlates to cognitive dysfunction and disability. In this work, we studied the clinical impact of advanced MRI metrics of cortical and subcortical lesion evolution in a cohort of early relapsing-remitting MS patients. The number and volume of lesions that “shrunk”, disappeared or remained stable over time were strong determinants of changes in cognition in our patients cohort