Malignant breast tumor phospholipid profiles using 31P magnetic resonance

Biochemical markers improve the classification and staging of breast cancer and may refine management decisions if it can be shown that they correlate with accepted prognostic factors or patient outcome. Using phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS), we determined the phospholipid content of 43 malignant breast tumors, correlating the profiles with specific histopathologic and clinical features and hormone receptor status. Among the 14 phospholipids identified, the mean mole percentage of sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylglycerol, and alkylacylphosphatidylcholine predicted cellular infiltration, infiltration type, elastosis, lymphatic invasion, perineural invasion, necrosis, and estrogen receptor positivity. 31P MRS phospholipid profile data provide statistical correlations among histologic features and molecules known to play important roles in cellular communication, regulation, and processes unique to malignant tissues.