Breast cancer diagnosis: Imaging techniques and biochemical markers

Abstract

Breast cancer is a complex disease which is found as the second cause of cancer-associated death among women. Accumulating of evidence indicated that various factors (i.e., gentical and envirmental factors) could be associated with initiation and progression of breast cancer. Diagnosis of breast cancer patients in early stages is one of important aspects of breast cancer treatment. Among of various diagnosis platforms, imaging techniques are main diagnosis approaches which could provide valuable data on patients with breast cancer. It has been showed that various imaging techniques such as mammography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron-emission tomography (PET), Computed tomography (CT), and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) could be used for diagnosis and monitoring patients with breast cancer in various stages. Beside, imaging techniques, utilization of biochemical biomarkers such as proteins, DNAs, mRNAs, and microRNAs could be employed as new diagnosis and therapeutic tools for patients with breast cancer. Here, we summarized various imaging techniques and biochemical biomarkers could be utilized as diagnosis of patients with breast cancer. Moreover, we highlighted microRNAs and exosomes as new diagnosis and therapeutic biomarkers for monitoring patients with breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of important cancers among women which is known as the second most common cancer worldwide. Diagnosis of breast cancer is main aspects of breast cancer therapy. Multiple lines of evidence indicated that a variety of approaches and biomarkers have potential to are used as diagnostic approaches for detection and monitoring patients with breast cancer. Imaging techniques including mammography, MRI, SPECT, PET, and CT and development of them could be employed for diagnosis and monitoring breast cancer patients. Despite, more development of imaging techniques, utilization of them are associated with various limitations such as expensive and sensitivity. Hence, it seems that identification new tools for diagnosis of breast cancer patients are required. It has been showed that utilization of new biomarkers such as evaluation of expression levels of various proteins (i.e., ER, Ki67, PR, and HER2) and various molecules (miRNAs and exosomes) have opened new opportunity for diagnosis and monitoring patients with breast cancer.