Classification of breast tumors by grade and steroid receptor status using pattern recognition analysis of infrared spectra

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy applied to tissue sections yields complex spectra that provide a molecular fingerprint of the tissue. We have studied a cohort of 77 breast tumors by IR spectroscopy to develop an objective method for the assignment of grade of breast tumors. Although the major variations between spectra from different tumors were in absorptions arising from triglycerides (adipose tissue) and collagen, subtle changes in spectra could be detected that were independent of cellularity and tissue composition. Using a specific multivariate pattern recognition strategy to associate these changes in spectra with different tumor grades, we then were able to accurately reclassify tumors by grade (87% accuracy; K = 0.835). A similar approach allowed classification of steroid receptor status (93% accuracy; K = 0.852). We conclude that IR spectroscopy may have clinical utility in the objective assignment of breast tumor grade.