ecancermedicalscience

The study explored the use of ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy on single hair fibers to detect breast cancer by examining lipid content changes. It involved 12 female subjects, both with and without breast cancer. Results indicated that breast cancer patients had increased peak height ratios of C–H bending absorption bands in their hair spectra, with ratios over 1.0 suggesting cancer presence. These changes were linked to increased lipid material at the cuticle–cortex interface, possibly due to cancer signaling molecules affecting lipid biosynthesis. The study suggested that hair could serve as a non-invasive biosensor for early breast cancer detection, with findings consistent with previous research showing hair structure normalization post-cancer removal. It emphasized the need for precise targeting of hair regions for accurate analysis and proposed a role for lipid rafts in the observed changes.