Combining mammaglobin and carcinoembryonic mRNA markers for early detection of micrometastases from breast cancers--a molecular study of 59 patients.
BACKGROUND
As many as 30% of node-negative breast cancer patients relapse within five years, suggesting that current histological detection methods are inadequate for identifying metastatic disease. Detecting small number of cancer cells in the breast tissue or lymph node by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays using a combination of tissue and cancer specific markers might be very useful in the early detection or monitoring of the treatment. Mammaglobin is a member of the uteroglobin gene family and appears to be expressed only in breast tissue. Carcinoembryonic antigen has been the preferred molecular marker for detection of micro metastases in lymph nodes in almost all carcinomas.


METHODS
Samples were collected from randomly chosen breast cancer patients undergoing modified mastectomy or breast conserving surgery between September 2003 and July 2004. RT-PCR was applied to study the expression of MMG and CEA markers. Breast cancer micrometastases in axillary lymph nodes were also assessed.


RESULTS
The MMG marker was positive in 9/10 normal breast tissues, 3/3 breast fibroadenomas and 37/39 of breast carcinoma tissues, giving an overall sensitivity of 94%. The sensitivity was 80% for metastatic lymph node samples. On the other hand CEA showed 95% sensitivity for malignant breast tumors and 100% sensitivity for metastatic lymph nodes.


CONCLUSIONS
RT-PCR using a combination of MMG and CEA markers is a powerful tool to complement current routine histopathology techniques for detection of breast cancer metastasis in axillary nodes.
Ghaffari
Saeed R
SR
The Cancer Institute Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 1419783485, Tehran, Iran. saeed@ghaffari.org
Sabokbar
Tayebeh
T
Tahmasebi
Soroush
S
Dastan
Jila
J
Shorakae
Soulmaz
S
Moradi
Abdolvahab
A
Tirgari
Farrokh
F
Mohagheghi
Mohammad A
MA
Mosavi-Jarrahi
Alireza
A
D001365:Axilla; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D018226:Fibroadenoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D060785:Mammaglobin A; D008408:Mastectomy; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D060785:Mammaglobin A; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; C556448:SCGB2A2 protein, human; D014598:Uteroglobin