HistoScanning is a tissue differentiation, visualization and quantification tool for diagnosis support. The technology can be adapted and trained to differentiate tissues in organs accessible by ultrasound. An application is being developed to address the main clinical challenges associated with detection, characterization and treatment of breast cancer. HistoScanning for the breast is currently in its proof of concept phase.

Breast Cancer Background   Cancer of the breast is the most common malignancy affecting women and in many regions, including Europe, it is the most common cause of death from cancer in women.1 Worldwide, more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, which accounts for 10% of all cancers. About 580,000 new cases occur in developed countries annually.1,2,3 In 2005, breast cancer caused 502,000 deaths worldwide, accounting for nearly 7% of cancer deaths.2 It is estimated that up to 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.4 More than 80% of cases are diagnosed in women over 50 years old.2 About 9 out of 10 women presenting with early stage cancer (stage I) survives beyond five years. This drops to nearly 1 out of 10 in women diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease (stage IV).2 Tumours detected and treated early are associated with a higher survival rate and may permit breast-conserving surgery. Mammography screening is shown to reduce mortality from breast cancer by nearly half in women aged 50 or over. But screening efficacy is significantly less in younger women.1,5 Early detection of breast cancer is vital as it increases the chances of successful treatment. However, current imaging modalities are suboptimal for screening in younger women. Today, x-ray mammography and self-examination are conventionally used in routine screening of breast cancer, while ultrasound and surgical biopsy are used for advanced diagnosis. On mammograms, however, breast cancer can be harder to spot in dense breasts, particularly characteristic for younger women. This is because of high absorption of the x-radiation in that kind of tissue. As a result, detection of suspicious lesions by visual examination, may lead to as many as 40% false negative - cancers that are missed - and many false positive results causing unnecessary patient anxiety prompting invasive diagnostic investigations. References 1. IARC Press. World Cancer Report (2003). Stewart BW, Kleihues P. Available online from         http://www.iarc.fr/IARCPress/pdfs/wcr/WorldCancerReport.pdf 2. Cancer Research UK. Breast Cancer.Available online from  http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/breast/ 3. GLOBOCAN 2002: Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide. Available online from  http://www-dep.iarc.fr/ 4. National Cancer Institute. SEER Stat Fact Sheets. Available online from http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html 5. Algood PC et al. A case-control study of the impact of the East Anglian breast screening programme on breast cancer mortality.     Br J Cancer. 2008 Jan 15;98(1):206-9. Epub 2007 Dec 4.