Breast Cancer
Conditions
Brief summary
Breast cancer is a major and growing health challenge, and the leading cause of cancer in women. As population obesity rates increase, the number of new breast cancer diagnosis continues to rise. Despite treatment advances, breast cancer remains an important cause of premature mortality, taking women in the prime of life. Although underlying susceptibility caused by mutation in the genes including BRCA1/2 is increasingly identified, current pre-symptomatic screening for the general population and those at high genetic risk remains sub-optimal, with high false negative and positive rates. Alteration of breast lipid composition has been observed by us and others in patients with breast cancer and is thought to precede onset. The investigators have developed and tested a novel method to allow a standard 3T MRI scanner to perform quantitative 3D mapping of specific lipid molecules in the breast. The investigators will investigate if this method can detect very early breast cancers, and compare the amount and spread of lipid composition in breast tissue of premenopausal women with very high genetic risk of breast cancer, women with breast cancer and women with obesity.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTMRI scan
Participants will undertake a magnetic resonance imaging scan.
BIOLOGICALBlood test
Participants will undertake a fasting blood test.
Sponsors
University of Aberdeen
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 55 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
\- Women with BRCA1/2 genes: * female 18-55 years old, premenopausal * BRCA 1/2 gene carriers * not having any metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes) * not on any long term medications that may affect lipid metabolism (e.g., statins) * BMI \< 30 Women with breast cancer (no obesity): * females 18-55 years old, premenopausal * confirmed diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast * not having any metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes) * not on any long term medications that may affect lipid metabolism (e.g., statins) * BMI \< 30 Women with breast cancer (obesity): * BMI \> 30 * otherwise as women with breast cancer Women with obesity: * females 18-55 years old, premenopausal * not having any metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes) * not on any long term medications that may affect lipid metabolism (e.g., statins) * BMI \> 30
Exclusion criteria
* females under 18 or over 55 years old, postmenopausal * males * have metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes) * on long term medications that may affect lipid metabolism (e.g., statins) * contraindicated for MR investigation (poor renal function and metal implants) * (for patients) concurrent cancer in other sites * (for patients) started hormone treatment, chemotherapy or breast surgery * non-English speakers
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Amount of lipid composition in the breast | One hour | The percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids relative to total lipid will be measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner software and MATLAB computer programme. Unit of Measurement: %. |
| Spatial distribution (skewness) of lipid composition in the breast | One hour | Skewness measures the asymmetry in distribution. The skewness of lipid composition in the breast will be measured using MRI scanner software and MATLAB computer programme. Unit of Measurement: unitless. |
| Spatial distribution (entropy) of lipid composition in the breast | One hour | Entropy measures the randomness in distribution. The entropy of lipid composition in the breast will be measured using MRI scanner software and MATLAB computer programme. Unit of Measurement: unitless. |
| Spatial distribution (kurtosis) of lipid composition in the breast | One hour | Kurtosis measures the peakedness in distribution. The kurtosis of lipid composition in the breast will be measured using MRI scanner software and MATLAB computer programme. Unit of Measurement: unitless. |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed