Screening for Breast Cancer Using Near-Field Infrared Spectroscopy of a Single Strand of Hair

摘要

This work was motivated by an Australian study that used synchrotron x-ray diffraction to identify changes in the structure of hair that may be linked to either the occurrence of breast cancer, or the increased predisposition to breast cancer because of the breast of a mutation of the BRCAl gene. In this study, we have successfully developed a new infrared method for the detection in a single strand of hair the presence of lipid deposits that were the putative cause of the observed x-ray patterns. Our method, which does not use synchrotron radiation, is based on a table-top infrared technique and provides an independent test of the proposed link between hair structure and breast cancer. Our tests show that we find the presence of lipids in healthy control patients as well. We performed independent x-ray studies in collaboration with researchers at Cornell University, who have confirmed our finding that the x-ray scattering patterns are observed in hair from healthy patients. Taken together our work suggests that (i) IR microscopy is promising, but (ii) the Australian study is wrong - a disappointing result for breast cancer.