A comparative infrared spectroscopic study of human breast tumors and breast tumor cell xenografts

Abstract

AbstractFourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been applied to the study of human breast tumors, human breast tumor cell lines and xenografted human tumor cells. The results presented indicate that substantial differences exist on a macroscopic level between human tumors, xenografted tumors and human tumor cell lines, which are related to the presence of a significant connective tissue matrix in the tumors. On a macroscopic level tumor cell xenografts appear, in spectroscopic terms, to be relatively homogeneous with a relatively weak signature characteristic of connective tissue. Differences on a microscopic level between adjacent small (30 μm2) areas of the same xenografted tumor could be detected, which were due to local variations in collagen content. In addition to variations in collagen content, variation in the deposition of microscopic fat droplets throughout both human and xenografted tumors could be detected. These results indicate the care with which infrared spectroscopic studies of tissues must be carried out to avoid incorrect interpretation of results due to an incomplete understanding of tissue pathology. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.