title: Association between ductal fluid proteomic expression profiles and the presence of lymph node metastases in women with breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proteomic analysis of nipple aspiration fluid (NAF) is a noninvasive method for studying the local biologic microenvironment of the breast ducts where carcinoma originates.
  
  
  METHODS
  NAF samples from each breast of 23 women with stage I or II unilateral invasive breast carcinoma were collected, and protein expression was analyzed comprehensively by using protein arrays and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Blinded hierarchical clustering analysis was performed to identify potential associations between protein expression patterns and clinicopathologic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After analysis of all spectra, 463 distinct peaks in the mass range of 7 to 30 kD were identified in NAF samples. Blinded hierarchical clustering analysis of protein expression patterns demonstrated a conservation of these patterns between the breasts of individual patients (P=.0003 x 10(-12)). Hierarchical clustering revealed an association between protein expression patterns, and the presence and absolute number of axillary lymph nodes containing metastases (P=.038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Protein expression patterns are highly conserved between cancerous and noncancerous breasts in women with unilateral invasive breast cancer; unique expression patterns may be associated with extent of disease. High-throughput proteomic methods may reveal biologically relevant proteins involved in carcinogenesis and progression of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Henry M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kuerer
authors.forename: Kevin R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Coombes
authors.forename: Jeng-Neng
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lianchun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fritsche
authors.forename: Savitri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnamurthy
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcy
authors.forename: Mien-Chie
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Kelly K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Hunt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000502:physiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009558:Nipples / Q000378:metabolism*; D010375:Pedigree; D020543:Proteome; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D020543:Proteome; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen