Phospholipids from malignant, benign and noninvolved human breast tissues were extracted by chloroform-methanol (2:1) and analysed by 31P MR spectroscopy at 202.4 MHz. Thirteen phospholipids were identified as constituents of the profiles obtained among the 55 tissue specimens analysed. Observed patterns in phospholipid tissues profiles were distinct, allowing qualitative characterisation of the three tissue groups. Multivariate analysis of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and an uncharacterised phospholipid were shown to be independently significant in predicting benign tissue histology as either fibrocystic disease or fibroadenoma in 92% of cases. Univariate analysis of relative mole-percentage of phosphorus concentrations of individual phospholipids using the Scheffé comparison procedure revealed that in malignant tissues, phosphatidylethanolamine was significantly elevated compared to benign (+ 32%) and noninvolved tissues (+ 22%). Phosphatidylinositol (+ 33%) and phosphatidylcholine plasmalogen (PC plas) (+ 25%) were increased in malignant compared to benign and LPC was decreased (-44%) in malignant compared to noninvolved. LPC was significantly depressed (-39%) in benign tissue compared to normal. Phospholipid indices computed to further characterise the three tissue groups showed PC plas/PC elevated in malignant tissue compared to benign and PE plas/PE depressed in malignant tissue compared to noninvolved. These findings support previous investigations reporting that the alkyl-phospholipid analogues of phosphatidylcholine are released by malignant tissues and that levels of ethanolamine are elevated in malignant tissues. Indices describing the choline-containing phospholipids showed that these lipids are depressed significantly in malignant tissue relative to healthy tissue.

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