title: Potential use of monoclonal antibodies in the diagnostic distinction of gynecomastia from breast carcinoma in men.
abstract: Immunohistochemical (IHC) assays using the monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) B72.3 and B6.2, recognizing two distinct and independently expressed breast tumor-associated antigens (BTAAs), recently have been shown to significantly improve the accuracy of cytodiagnosis of breast nodules by fine-needle aspiration (FNA). To evaluate whether the same method may be useful diagnostically in distinguishing gynecomastia from breast cancer in men, a retrospective avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase assay study was performed on 50 cases of gynecomastia and 30 cases of breast carcinoma in men, using a panel of five MoAbs known to recognize different BTAAs. The results of this study demonstrated that MoAbs B1.1, HMFG2, and MBr1 displayed a strong reactivity with gynecomastia and carcinoma, but MoAbs B72.3 and B6.2 separated benign and malignant lesions in a high percentage of cases. When used in combination, the latter two reagents reacted with 96% of the carcinomas that were analyzed but labeled only 67% of gynecomastia cases. Thus, the conjoint use of these two reagents may enhance the use of FNA biopsy as a valuable tool in the presurgical diagnosis of breast nodules in men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mottolese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bigotti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vitucci
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Natali
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006177:Gynecomastia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens