Rationale and objectives: Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is an emerging functional modality, which can reflect tumor metabolic activity and angiogenesis. The purpose of this exploratory study was to correlate the total hemoglobin concentration (THC) measured by noninvasive DOT with prognostic factors in breast carcinomas.
Materials and methods: We prospectively imaged 251 breast carcinomas in 229 consecutive women (mean age, 51.18 ± 12.32 years) using DOT from 2007 to 2010. Tumor angiogenesis and metabolic activity were assessed based on quantitatively measured THC. The THC was correlated with prognostic factors, including tumor size, histopathologic classification, histologic grade, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), c-erbB-2, and p53.
Results: In univariate analysis, THC was significantly correlated with the following prognostic factors: tumor size (P < .001), histologic grade (P < .001), ER (P < .05), PR (P < .001), and c-erbB-2 (P < .05). THC was not associated with histopathologic classification (P = .170) or p53 (P = .463). On the basis of a stepwise multiple regression analysis, THC of invasive ductal carcinoma was significantly correlated with tumor size (P < .001), histologic grade (P < .001), and PR (P < .05).
Conclusions: THC was associated with prognostic factors of breast carcinoma. THC may be considered as a new prognostic parameter of breast carcinoma and a prediction of tumor behavior and biological activity.
Keywords: Breast carcinoma; angiogenesis; diffuse optical tomography; prognostic factors; total hemoglobin concentration.
Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.