Phosphorous 31 (31P) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were recorded from
perchloric acid extracts of benign and malignant
breast tumors. The spectra were correlated with the histopathologic diagnosis and the
steroid receptor status of the
tumor. Higher relative content of the
lipid-derived metabolite glycerolphosphoethanolamine (GPE), the high-energy
nucleoside phosphates (
nucleoside-
diphosphate [NDP],
nucleoside-
triphosphate [NTP]), and
sugar esters of
uridine diphosphate (UDPS) appeared in the
carcinomas. Malignant
tumors also showed a lower ratio of
phosphoethanolamine to
phosphocholine (PE/PC) than benign conditions. Lower content of the
lipid-derived metabolite glycerolphosphocholine (GPC) and high content of the high-energy compound
phosphocreatine (PCr) were associated with malignant
tumors having high content of
estrogen receptors (ER). High PCr content was also associated in the
carcinomas with high
progesterone receptors (PgR) content. In the benign
tumors NDP and NTP were higher in
tumors with high PgR content. The authors suggest that 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of the breast can provide additional variables to diagnose
malignancy, and when combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), invasive procedures may be avoided. It also seems that levels of PCr and GPC obtained from the spectra can serve as markers to hormonal receptor status of
breast carcinomas, and may be used in addition to the ER and PgR content to improve prediction of the response to hormonal
therapy. Additional development requires in situ MRI and MRS combined studies.