Researchers from Case Western Reserve University are commissioning a study to determine if a novel MRI technique can predict the effectiveness of chemotherapy in treating breast cancer.

Using magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF), the researchers aim to distinguish between different types of breast cancer with a single noninvasive MRI scan – a tactic the researchers call “fingerprinting,” according to coverage from Cleveland.com. This method will help identify whether a patient's tumor will respond to specific therapies, reducing unnecessary treatment.

MRF relies on the unique MRI responses of different tissue types. The research aims to pinpoint which breast cancers respond to chemotherapy based on their distinct MRI fingerprints, streamlining treatment decisions and minimizing time wasted on ineffective therapies.

Currently, chemotherapy is used to shrink breast tumors before surgery, but around 80% of patients do not respond adequately to conventional chemotherapy. Preliminary results suggest that MRF can accurately assess a patient's response within seven to 10 days after the initial chemotherapeutic cycle, potentially leading to earlier cessation of chemotherapy for non-responding patients.

The research  has received a $3.05 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute. Over the next five years, the goal is ultimately to improve personalized therapy options, catering treatment to the specific cancer type a patient has.

Click the link below for the full story from Cleveland.com, which includes much more context:

MRI “fingerprint” of breast cancer may reduce the need for chemotherapy CWRU researchers say