Salt Level in Breast Tumor Cells is an Underutilized Biomarker, Preclinical Study Shows

A study on mouse models implanted with breast cancer cells, shows breast cancer cells have more sodium in them than normal cells, and this can be detected using a new technique. Researchers have developed a new sodium magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to detect levels of 23Na in breast tumors. This could help diagnose and monitor breast cancer and indicate the degree of aggressiveness of a tumor and its susceptibility to chemotherapy.