Detection and quantification of mammaglobin in the blood of breast cancer patients: can it be useful as a potential clinical marker? Preliminary results of a GOIM (Gruppo Oncologico dell'Italia Meridionale) prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Mammaglobin is expressed mainly in mammary tissue, overexpressed in breast cancer (BC) and rarely in other tissue. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of transcript MGB1 detection and to evaluate the role of MGB1 as potential clinical marker for the detection of disseminated cancer cells in the blood of BC patients.


METHODS
A consecutive series of 23 BC tissues, 36 peripheral blood BC samples and 35 healthy peripheral blood samples was prospectively recruited to investigate MGB1 expression by means of a quantitative Real Time RT-PCR assay.


RESULTS
MGB1 overexpression in tissue samples of BC patients is significantly associated only with high level of Ki67 (P <0.05). None of the samples from peripheral blood of 35 healthy female individuals were positive for MGB1 transcript. In contrast MGB1 mRNA expression was detected in three of 36 (8%) peripheral blood of BC patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary results demonstrate that the detection of MGB1 transcript in peripheral blood of BC patients was specific but with low sensitivity. MGB1 overexpression by itself or in combination with Ki67 might be considered an index of BC progression.
Gargano
G
G
Section of Medical Oncology and Section of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgical and Oncology, Università di Palermo, Italy.
Agnese
V
V
Calò
V
V
Corsale
S
S
Augello
C
C
Bruno
L
L
La Paglia
L
L
Gullo
A
A
Ottini
L
L
Russo
A
A
Fulfaro
F
F
Rinaldi
G
G
Crosta
A
A
Cicero
G
G
Majorana
O
O
Palmeri
L
L
Cipolla
C
C
Agrusa
A
A
Gulotta
G
G
Morello
V
V
Di Fede
G
G
Adamo
V
V
Colucci
G
G
Tomasino
R M
RM
Valerio
M R
MR
Bazan
V
V
Russo
Antonio
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060785:Mammaglobin A; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D060785:Mammaglobin A; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C556448:SCGB2A2 protein, human; D014598:Uteroglobin