Evaluation of EM absorption loss for continuous monitoring of breast cancer

Continuous monitoring of breast cancer is a vital step in the treatment plan of a breast cancer survivor who has an 11-20% risk of recurrence and a 3×-4× chance of developing breast cancer in a different location within the breast. This study proposes electromagnetic (EM) absorption loss measurements as a cost-effective method which has the potential to replace the rudimentary and inaccurate breast self-examination and complement the traditional X-ray mammography exams, which are cost-prohibitive and carry radiation exposure risk. A breast cancer survivor can continuously monitor the health of her breast by periodically comparing absorption loss measurements to a reference absorption loss measurement taken after a lumpectomy. Results show successful detection of tumors at different locations within the breast with just a 3-element phased array.