title: Stanniocalcin-1: a novel molecular blood and bone marrow marker for human breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Very few tumor molecular markers have been identified that are highly specific for breast cancer cells when applied to blood and bone marrow (BM). Stanniocalcin (STC)-1 is a recently discovered human gene that has been implicated in cellular calcium homeostasis and resistance to hypoxia and is located on chromosome 8p in a region associated with amplification in breast cancer. We investigated STC-1 mRNA as a potential molecular marker for detection of breast cancer metastasis in the blood and BM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the reverse transcriptase-PCR and electrochemiluminescence detection assay to assess for STC-1 mRNA expression, we evaluated 7 breast cancer cell lines, 34 primary breast cancer tumors, and the BM of 71 patients and the blood of 58 patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage 0-IV breast cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this cohort of primarily early-stage breast cancer patients, the detection of STC-1 mRNA in the BM and blood significantly correlated with multiple histopathological prognostic factors, including primary tumor size, number of positive lymph nodes, T stage, M stage, N stage, and overall American Joint Committee on Cancer stage. STC-1 mRNA was not detected in the blood or BM of volunteers without cancer. In situ hybridization studies with a STC-1 antisense RNA probe also confirmed STC-1 mRNA expression in breast cancer cell lines and primary breast tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  STC-1 is proposed as a novel, specific, and clinically useful molecular marker for detecting occult breast cancer cells in the BM and blood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Oncology, John Wayne Cancer Institute, Santa Monica, California 90404, USA.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wascher
authors.forename: Kelly T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.forename: Armando E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.forename: Nora M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Frederick R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elashoff
authors.forename: Dave S B
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hoon
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006023:Glycoproteins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA; C051795:teleocalcin; D002118:Calcium