Transcutaneous in Vivo Raman Spectroscopy of Breast Tumors and Pretumors

Breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst women worldwide. Early detection of this cancer results in better prognosis. Owing to the disadvantages of currently available screening tools for early detection of this cancer, rapid and sensitive alternatives such as optical spectroscopic techniques are being extensively explored. Detection of premalignant lesions using these techniques has been reported. However, premalignant lesions are risk indicators and may not be true predictors of tumor development. Therefore, the current study aims at correlation between spectral changes and tumor appearance. In this context, transcutaneous in vivo spectra were acquired from same carcinogen‐induced rats immediately before carcinogen treatment, 3, 8–10, and 12–14 weeks after carcinogen treatment and from frank tumors. These were analyzed using multivariate statistical tools principal component analysis and principal component linear discriminant analysis. Further, a complex test data set consisting of spectra from rats of varying ages, tumor appearance times, and tumor induction protocols was used to test the feasibility of correctly identifying controls and pretumors using Raman spectroscopy. Results suggest feasibility of distinguishing pretumor spectra from controls. Taking into consideration the heterogeneity of afflicted breast, rat‐wise analysis was performed wherein a rat was declared ‘will develop tumor’, even if one spectrum was found abnormal. Using this criterion, in vivo Raman spectroscopy could predict tumor appearance with 82% sensitivity and 95% specificity. Prospectively, combined with emerging technologies like deep Raman spectroscopy and fiber‐probe‐based whole sample imaging, Raman spectroscopy may prove as an invaluable adjunct to currently available breast cancer screening tools. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.