Use of autoantibodies in breast cancer screening and diagnosis.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and accounts for 6% of all cancer deaths. Current screening modalities for breast cancer diagnosis include mammography, digital mammography and magnetic resonance imaging; however, there is still an urgent need to develop an alternative modality of screening for earlier diagnosis. Autoantibodies to tumor-associated autoantigens can be elicited in breast cancer patients. Tumor-associated antigens vary between cancers and can be the result of a number of different events, including mutation, overexpression or altered expression patterns. The inherent amplification of signals provided by the host's own immune system to low levels of tumor-associated antigens in early disease provides a potential route to the early diagnosis of cancer. In addition, autoantibody responses in breast cancer have been correlated with patient survival and their response to treatment.
Storr
Sarah J
SJ
Tumor Immunology Group, University of Nottingham, Division of Breast Surgery, Nottingham City Hospital, Hucknall Road, Nottingham, NG5 1PB, UK. msxsjs@gwmail.nottingham.ac.uk
Chakrabarti
Jayeta
J
Barnes
Anthony
A
Murray
Andrea
A
Chapman
Caroline J
CJ
Robertson
John F R
JF
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens