Investigators at the University Health Network have developed a novel assessment tool to evaluate the risk of developing breast cancer using optical spectroscopy in the visible/NIR range. This method and system is non-invasive, does not require ionizing radiation, and can be performed repeatedly without risk of damaging tissue. As a result it is applicable to women of all ages, and in particular to young women as it has been shown that breast cancer risk is, to a considerable extent, established during puberty.

By utilizing the scattering and absorption of light by breast tissue, this technology is able to provide reliable and repeatable spectroscopic tissue measurement of optical breast density providing an 85 -90% correspondence to X-ray mammographic breast density measurements—the gold standard in breast cancer risk assessment. Because of the safety and simplicity of this technology, it does not require a dedicated or specialized medical professional, such as a radiologist, to conduct screening. Sophisticated software controls, analyzes, and provides a single number output of breast density within minutes of starting the scan. As a result, this technology can be operated by an aid or nurse allowing the platform to be adopted in any health clinic, treatment center, hospital, or doctor’s office. This technology allows for frequent monitoring of a patient’s risk level and helps determine patient specific mammography screening schedules. The capability to accumulate longitudinal changes in breast tissue density over time will facilitate the ability to detect early pre-disease changes in patients.

Consequently, this technology can provide prior warning to women who are at greater risk of developing breast cancer. This warning can be provided earlier than typical x-ray mammography schedules allow, when anticipatory generic preventative actions are still a viable option to delay or possibly prevent disease onset. For areas that do not have formal mammography infrastructure–this may be the only system to allow breast cancer screening programs.

Longitudinal clinical trials have been underway for over 3 years at the University Health Network, Mount-Sinai Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Kansas Medical Center. Over 1000 women have participated thus far and over 180 have had up to 12 measurements taken already, indicating the high patient acceptance of this procedure. This technology is available for world-wide exclusive licensing.

Related Publications:
Blackmore, K.M., Dick, S., Knight, J., & Lilge, L. Estimation of mammographic density on an interval scale by transillumination breast spectroscopy. J Biomed Opt. 13(6), 064030 (2008)

Blackmore, K.M., Knight, J., & Lilge, L. Association between transillumination breast spectroscopy and quantitative mammographic features of the breast.Cancer. Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 17(5),1043-50 (2008)

Blackmore, K.M., Knight, J.A., Jong, R. & Lilge, L. Assessing breast tissue density by transillumination breast spectroscopy (TIBS): an intermediate indicator of cancer risk. Br J Radiol. 80(955), 545-56 (2007)

File Number: 1008 

Web site: http://www.uhnresearch.ca/tdc

Disease: Women's Health

Other Information: Inventors: Lothar Lilge, Brian Wilson, Michelle Simick