Collagen 1 fibers and hypoxic tumor microenvironments in breast cancer and their effect on transport of molecules within the tumor matrix

The work presented in this thesis represents a culmination of four years of research work focused on understanding the role of collagen I (Col1) fibers, a major component of the tumor extracellular matrix in breast cancer. We have investigated the relationship of Col1 fibers with metastasis, hypoxia, macromolecular transport, water diffusion and fractional anisotropy using clinical breast cancer specimens and human breast cancer xenografts genetically engineered to fluoresce under hypoxia. The thesis describes in the detail of the rationale, study design, results and discussion for our studies, which have been either published or submitted as four separate papers. The work here also presents multimodal in vivo imaging techniques which could be used clinically for non-invasive diagnoses of breast cancer progression. These techniques will help provide better patient management.