title: Selective decrease of serum immunoglobulin G1 as marker for early stages of invasive breast cancer.
abstract: The diagnostic value of the decrease in percentage of immunoglobulin G1 (%lgG1) in breast cancer was analyzed with special emphasis on early tumor stages. IgG1 and total IgG were preoperatively measured in the sera of a total of 801 individuals using a modified quantitative affinity chromatography. Group A consisted of 174 healthy individuals of both sexes, group B of 324 female patients with benign breast disease, and group C of 303 patients with invasive and non-invasive breast cancer. Within group C, 13 patients presented with intraductal carcinoma, and 22 patients with a pT1a-tumour (diameter less than 0.5 cm). The %IgG1 values were compared among groups A, B and C. In addition, correlations were sought between %IgG1 values of group C and tumor size, stage (UICC), histopathological grade and oestrogen (ER) and progesteron receptor (PR) expression. The mean value of %IgG1 in group A was 63.3 +/- 0.5 s.e.m., in group B 57.75 +/- 0.4 s.e.m. and in group C 52.37 +/- 0.5 s.e.m. The differences of mean values were highly significant between all three groups. Sensitivity and specificity of %IgG1 to discriminate between group A and C were 75% and 87%, and between group B and C 62% and 63%, respectively. The significant decrease of %IgG1 in total serum IgG is able to distinguish patients with breast cancer of more than 5 mm in diameter from healthy controls and patients with benign breast diseases. Finally, calculated posterior probabilities revealed that within certain concentration limits %lgG1 may provide predictive information with high probabilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Graz, Austria. leo.kronberger@kfunigraz.ac.at
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kronberger
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Steinschifter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weblacher
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Estelberger
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Liebmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rabl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smola
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lax
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Mischinger
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schauenstein
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schauenstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone