Scientists Discover a Method to Distinguish Cancer from Other Tumors with 100% Accuracy

Currently, the standard diagnostic method is histopathology, which involves examining tissue samples under a microscope after a biopsy. This approach is invasive and requires time-consuming sample preparation.

As an alternative, researchers proposed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-Fourier IR spectroscopy), which measures the interaction of infrared light with tissue molecules. A device called a spectrometer records the chemical composition and molecular “spectral fingerprint” of the tissue.

In the study, 56 samples of normal and tumor breast tissue were analyzed. A key marker was the ratio of the cell nucleus to cytoplasm, which changes in malignant cells, allowing the spectrometer to differentiate between healthy and cancerous tissue.

Another important marker was glycogen, a polysaccharide that stores cellular energy. Glycogen levels helped distinguish between two common benign breast conditions—fibroadenoma and fibrocystic mastopathy—with 100% sensitivity and specificity.

Overall, the method achieved 100% accuracy. The authors highlight that infrared spectroscopy could become a rapid, objective tool for breast cancer diagnosis, although larger clinical trials are needed before widespread implementation.