02/17/2023
By Anna Yaroslavsky

The Kennedy College of Sciences, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Peter Jermain on “Quantitative Optical Cytopathology for Cancer Diagnosis.”

Candidate Name: Peter R. Jermain, MS
Degree: Ph.D.
Defense Date: Friday, March 3, 2023
Time: 4:45 p.m.
Location: Hybrid
In person: Southwick Hall 240, North Campus
Zoom: Please email Peter Jermain for the meeting link 

Committee:

  • Anna Yaroslavsky, Ph.D., (committee chair), Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Mark Tries, Ph.D., Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Cecil Joseph, Ph.D., Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract:

This work investigated fluorescence polarization (Fpol) of methylene blue (MB) for cancer detection at the cellular level. The standard of care for cancer diagnosis involves invasive core needle biopsy followed by time consuming histopathological evaluation. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology provides a faster, more minimally invasive approach; however, it is labor intensive and expensive. Moreover, FNA interpretation relies on subjective, visual assessments of cytomorphology to identify malignant cells, resulting in suboptimal diagnostic accuracy.

The first study presented in this thesis demonstrated the feasibility of using MB Fpol imaging to detect breast cancer in clinical FNA specimens. Cancerous, benign, and normal cells were aspirated from excess breast tissues immediately following surgery. The cells were stained in aqueous MB solution and imaged using multimodal confocal microscopy. The system provided MB Fpol and fluorescence emission images of the cells. Results from optical imaging were compared to clinical histopathology. In total, we imaged and analyzed 44 breast FNAs. Fpol images displayed quantitative contrast between cancerous and noncancerous cells, whereas fluorescence emission images revealed morphological features comparable to cytology. Statistical analysis demonstrated that MB Fpol is significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in malignant vs. benign or normal breast cells. It has also revealed correlation between MB Fpol values and tumor grade.

The second study demonstrated feasibility of using MB Fpol imaging for sorting thyroid cells into malignant/benign categories. Samples were collected from cancerous lesions, benign nodules, and normal thyroid epithelial tissues. A total of 32 samples, including 12 from cytologically indeterminate categories, were stained using aqueous solution of MB, imaged, and analyzed. The results from optical imaging correlated well with histopathology. Fluorescence emission images yielded diagnostically relevant information on cytomorphology. Significantly higher (p < 0.0001) MB Fpol was measured in thyroid cancer as compared to benign or normal cells. The results obtained from 12 indeterminate samples revealed that MB Fpol accurately differentiated benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Findings indicate that augmenting conventional FNA with objective, quantitative Fpol assessments could provide a rapid, accurate, and cost-efficient method to diagnose several types of cancer. This work provides a foundation for further development of Fpol technology and its clinical applications.