New Tool Could Help Remove Cancerous Tissue

A new tool called the DESI mass spectrometry imaging (or Desorption ElectroSpray Ionization mass spectrometry imaging) is now available to help turn molecules into ions so that they can be identified by their mass.

As it's estimated that about 40 percent of patients undergoing breast cancer surgery will require additional operations due to health officials' inability to remove all of the cancerous tissue during a first procedure, researchers hope this new tool can better distinguish cancerous tissue and help remove it apart from other normal areas.

"Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of classifying cancerous and normal breast tissues using DESI mass spectrometry imaging," said lead study author Nathalie Agar, PhD, director of the Surgical Molecular Imaging Laboratory, BWH Departments of Neurosurgery and Radiology, in a news release. "The results may help us to move forward in improving this method so that surgeons can use it to rapidly detect residual cancer tissue during breast cancer surgery, hopefully decreasing the need for multiple operations."

The tool then analyzes the mass of the ions and the contents of a tissue sample is analyzed to distinguish between normal and cancerous materials. Researchers further noted that typically several fatty acids, such as oleic acid, were present in breast cancer tissue compared to normal tissue.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.