Correlation between low neuraminidase blood levels and a predisposition toward family-related breast cancer.
It has been shown that high sialic acid levels are often found in conjunction with breast cancer, and these high concentrations are thought to be due to deficiency of the enzyme neuraminidase. The study proposes to elicit a relationship between low levels of blood neuraminidase and a family history of breast cancer. Neuraminidase blood levels were measured in 30 healthy women between the ages of 35 and 65 years with no evidence of a family history of breast cancer (control group), and in 33 healthy women between the ages of 35 to 65 years, all of whom had immediate members of their families with breast cancer (study group). The mean level of the blood neuraminidase was found to be 1.375 units in the control group. On the other hand, the mean level for the study group was 1.256 units. The difference between the two groups is statistically significant, (P value < 0.01). It is important to note that in the study group 20 of the 33 participants, 60.6 per cent, had neuraminidase levels below the mean of the study group, whereas only 3 of the 30, 10 per cent, in the control group had neuraminidase levels below the mean of the study group. Deficiency of the enzyme neuraminidase may suggest an elevated risk for breast cancer.
Rothenberg
R E
RE
Department of Surgery, Cabrini Medical Center, New York, New York 10003, USA.
Laraja
R D
RD
Imran-Ul-Hag
Saber
A A
AA
Nadkarni
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
D009439:Neuraminidase