title: Metabolomics in Breast Cancer: Current Status and Perspectives.
abstract: Metabolomics refers to the study of the whole set of metabolites in a biological sample that constitute a reflection of cellular functions. Cancer cells display significantly altered cellular processes, and thus metabolites, compared to normal cells. This can be detected in a number of ways, and is already exploited to a limited extent in the diagnosis of cancer. The host response to the tumor is perhaps equally important, as it either rejects or permits tumor growth, and this may also potentially result in a measurable metabolite signature. Analysis then of entire pools of metabolites may yield critical information about both tumor presence and host response, and represent a possible novel collective biomarker for cancer behaviour that could allow prediction of relapse, response to therapy, or progression. Isolating meaningful differences in the sea of metabolites and within the context of significant metabolic heterogeneity both within and between patients remains a great challenge. This chapter will review current metabolomic research in breast cancer, with a focus on efforts to translate the technology into clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Unit, Hospital of Prato, Instituto Toscano Tumori, Via Suor Niccolina 20, 59100, Prato, Italy.
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Centre (CERM), University of Florence, Via L. Sacconi 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.|FiorGen Foundation, Via L. Sacconi 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tenori
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Centre (CERM), University of Florence, Via L. Sacconi 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.|Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luchinat
authors.affiliation: "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Unit, Hospital of Prato, Instituto Toscano Tumori, Via Suor Niccolina 20, 59100, Prato, Italy. adileo@usl4.toscana.it.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Leo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Biomarker; Breast cancer; Metabolic profile; Metabolomics; Prognostics; Risk prediction