ABSTRACT
Diversos grupos han propuesto el procesamiento de imágenes termográficas para detección de Cáncer de Mama (CaMa). Angiogénesis y vascularización dependientes del ciclo menstrual, edad e Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) modifican la temperatura absoluta en la superficie tisular sin estar necesariamente asociadas a malignidad, en éste estudio proponemos la Termografía Tisular Diferenciada (TTD) en mama con respecto a su contralateral en espejo con el fin de observar diferencias térmicas características de malignidad. El presente trabajo evalúa la posibilidad de emplear la TTD como potencial técnica para asistir la detección de CaMa. Se muestrearon 110 mujeres voluntarias entre 40 y 60 años de edad segmentadas en dos grupos experimentales: grupo sanas (n=90) y grupo con CaMa (n=20) previamente diagnosticadas por mastografía e histopatología. Imágenes termográficas de ambas mamas fueron adquiridas con una cámara infrarroja y se estimó la TTD en relación a la mama contralateral de la misma paciente, se realizó un análisis de sensibilidad y especificidad y se comparó con el diagnóstico radiológico a través de curvas ROC tomando como referencia el diagnóstico histopatológico. La TTD en mama mostró rangos dinámicos diferenciables entre condiciones de malignidad respecto a benignidad. El análisis ROC mostró valores de sensibilidad y especificidad para el estimado TTD del 70% y 54% mientras que para el diagnóstico radiológico fue del 70% y 96%, respectivamente. La TTD muestra viabilidad técnica para asistir la detección de CaMa.
Several groups have proposed thermographic image processing for Breast Cancer (BC) detection. Angiogenesis and vascularization of menstrual cycle dependent, as well as age and Body Mass Index change the absolute temperature in the tissue surface without necessarily being associated with malignancy. We have proposed the Differentiated Tissue Thermography (DTT) in breast regarding its contralateral mirror in order to observe differences in temperature characteristics of malignancy. This study evaluates the possibility of using breast DTT as a potential technique to assist the detection of BC. We sampled 110 female volunteers between 40 and 60 years old segmented into two experimental groups: healthy group (n=90) and BC group (n=20), which were diagnosed by mammography and histopathology. Thermal images of both breasts were acquired with an infrared camera and the DTT was estimated relative to its contralateral breast in the same patient. A sensitivity and specificity analysis was developed and the DTT was compared with the radiological diagnosis by ROC curves with the histopathological report as reference. The DTT values showed distinguishable dynamic ranges between malignant and healthy conditions. ROC analysis showed sensitivity and specificity values for DTT of 70% and 54% while for the radiological diagnosis was 70% and 96% respectively. DTT showed technical viability to assist BC detection.
ABSTRACT
Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent malignancy among women worldwide and has been associated with high mortality because of the late treatment of the disease. Our group has proposed a selective ablation of breast cancer cells by the use of magnetic fields assisted by magnetic nanoparticles. The principle is to increase the conductivity of tumoral tissue by the use of a bioconjugated "nanoparticle-antibody" that recognizes specific antigens on the surface of the cancer cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the c-erbB-2 antigen in breast cancer cells of type BT-474, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 as a possible target for the use of magnetic nanoparticles coupled to a specific Monoclonal Antibody (Mab). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry were used to estimate the relative expressions of the c-erbB-2 gene and the c-erbB-2 antigen in the cell lines, respectively. A covalent union of magnetic nanoparticles to anti c-erbB-2 Mab was used to develop the bioconjugate. Fluorescence microscopy was used to determine the cells that were tagged by the bioconjugate. The results show a well-differentiated relative expression of c-erbB-2 in the studied cell lines and are qualitatively in agreement with the fluorescent marking by the magnetic nanoparticles. The selected breast cancer cells appear to be suitable for experimental evaluation of selective targeting by magnetic nanoparticles.
