Transcription profiling of breast tumors and surrounding tissue to detect pre-malignant histological and genetic changes

The aim of our study is to examine the region of tissue surrounding or adjacent to breast tumor in order to detect pre-malignant histological and genetic changes that may be predictive of risk of breast cancer. In this study, histological and gene expression data of breast tissue were obtained from patients that underwent mastectomy at various stages of breast carcinoma. For each patient, samples were obtained from the tumor region and four surrounding zones (1cm, 2cm, 3 cm and 4 cm away from the grossly visible tumor boundary), where possible. We have also breast samples from healthy individuals undergoing breast reduction surgery (mammoplasty). Microarray gene expression profiles of tissue samples (tumor and surrounding tissue, and breast reduction mammoplasty) was performed. In addition pathologist reviewed all slides to provide a details histology of all samples (excluding breast mammoplasty)