title: Differential TAG-72 epitope expression in breast cancer and lymph node metastases: a marker of a more aggressive phenotype.
abstract: We analysed the differential expression pattern of the three distinct TAG-72 carbohydrate epitopes detected by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) B72.3, CC83 and CC49 in a consecutive series of 114 patients with primary breast cancer and in 39 synchronous lymph node metastases. B72.3, CC83 and CC49 were expressed in respectively 81 (71%), 68 (60%) and 96 (84%) of the 114 cases. Interestingly, MAb B72.3 was significantly expressed in a subgroup of patients characterised by larger tumour size (p=0.013), lymph node metastasis (p=0.0002), high histopathological grade (p=0.006), high cell kinetics (p=0.04) and advanced clinical stage (p=0.0019). In 20 (51%) of the 39 pairs of matched primary breast cancers and synchronous lymph node metastases, TAG-72 was expressed in the tumour but not in the corresponding metastatic lymph node; tumours with TAG-72-negative lymph nodes appeared to be clinicopathologically more aggressive. CC49, the most immunoreactive and widely used MAb, was not detected in 34% of the metastases of expressing primary tumours. All three MAbs were found in a significantly lower per cent of synchronous metastases with respect to primary tumours (p<0.001).
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Molecolare e Clinica, Universita di Napoli <Federico II>, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galietta
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pizzi
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pettinato
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Limite
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sgambato
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muraro
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Formisano
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pensabene
authors.forename: Angelo Raffaele
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mariani-Costantini
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Contegiacomo
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C091202:B72.3 antibody; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000939:Epitopes; D006023:Glycoproteins; C047052:tumor-associated antigen 72; D013936:Thymidine