Evaluating Ductal Carcinoma in Situ Progression via Tissue Oxygenation and Perfusion
Thursday, June 7, 2018
11:00 AM-1:00 PM
BIOMED Master's Thesis Defense
Title:
Evaluating Ductal Carcinoma in Situ Progression via Tissue Oxygenation and Perfusion Using Photoacoustic and Constrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
Speaker:
Ryan Margolis, MS Candidate, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University
Advisors:
Peter A. Lewin, PhD, Richard B. Beard Distinguished University Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University
John Eisenbrey, PhD, Assistant Professor, Thomas Jefferson University
Abstract:
Breast cancer accounts for 30% of all cancer in women with an estimated 266,000 new cases and over 40,000 deaths in 2018. Treatments cost $16.5 billion per year to the healthcare industry in the U. S. The gold standard for treatment commonly involves a combination of breast conserving surgery and radiation. Breast cancers detection is commonly done through mammography or manual palpation. While mammography has reduced the death rate and allowed for earlier treatments, it is limited by dense breast tissue. Ultrasound and MRI have been proposed as alternative detection modalities. The discussion of DCIS overtreatment and overdiagnosis is controversial, as studies estimate up to 30% of cases are over treated and only 25% of DCIS progress to invasive carcinoma.
This thesis aims to address the clinical need for predictive precursors for the aggressiveness and development of DCIS to invasive breast cancer by measuring tissue oxygenation and perfusion using photoacoustic and contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. Furthermore, exercise has been proposed as a mechanism to not only reduce the risk of breast cancer, but its progression as well. Mouse models of FVB/NJ and Tg(C3-1-TAg) cJeg (SV40 Tag) were evenly divided into exercise and control groups, where the exercise group had access to an exercise wheel. The SV40 Tag mice are genetically predisposed to develop DCIS. Preliminary results show the SV40 Tag exercise group was indicative of a hypoxic environment (p=0.061). There were no differences between tumor growth (p=0.902), although the control group did have higher tumor growth. Additionally, exercise groups showed a significant difference on average weight change for both FVB/NJ and SV40 Tag mice. Lastly, there were no detectable differences in perfusion between either the FVB/NJ (p=0.7) or SV40 Tag mice (p=0.7).
Preliminary results show the potential for tissue oxygenation as a predictive precursor in understanding DCIS progression. Although the effects of exercise were evident in weight changes, it is still being fully investigated. This project has the potential to minimize DICS overtreatment and fulfill the unmet clinical need.
Contact Information
Ken Barbee
215-895-1335
barbee@drexel.edu