Immunohistochemical staining of human breast cancer with a new tumour marker MCA: relation to axillary lymph node involvement, metastasis, and survival.
The immunohistochemical reactivity of a new tumour marker MCA (mucinous carcinoma associated antigen) was determined in human breast cancer. The material consisted of paraffin-embedded biopsies from the breast tumours in 95 patients. The age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 58.1 +/- 13.1 years. The maximal follow-up time was 13.3 years and the mean follow-up time 12.4 years (range 11.5-13.3 years). MCA positivity was not related to histological type or size of the tumour. It was, however, related to axillary node involvement (p = 0.05) and metastasis (p = 0.06) during the follow-up time. The prediction of metastasis (p = 0.05) and node involvement (p = 0.048) was better in postmenopausal women. Crude survival or breast cancer survival could not be predicted with statistical significance on the basis of MCA staining. The disease-free survival had an almost statistically significant correlation with MCA positivity (p = 0.09). Our results suggest that the new tumour marker antigen MCA reacts with breast cancer cells in paraffin sections. It might be used in identification of cancer cells in tissue sections. MCA can also be used as a weak indicator of aggressiveness of the tumour.
Department of Surgery, University of Kuopio, Finland.
M
M
Eskelinen
P
P
Lipponen
Y
Y
Collan
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C057387:mucinous carcinoma-associated antigen