title: Bony metastases from breast cancer - a study of foetal antigen 2 as a blood tumour marker.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Foetal antigen 2 (FA-2), first isolated in the amniotic fluid, was shown to be the circulating form of the aminopropeptide of the alpha 1 chain of procollagen type I. Serum concentrations of FA-2 appeared to be elevated in a number of disorders of bone metabolism. This paper is the first report of its role as a marker of bone metabolism in metastatic breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum FA-2 concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 153 women with different stages of breast cancer and in 34 normal controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum FA-2 was significantly elevated in women with bony metastases (p < 0.015). Its levels were not significantly different among women with non-bony metastases, with non-metastatic disease, as well as among normal controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FA-2 is a promising blood marker of bone metabolism. Further studies to delineate its role in the diagnosis and management of bony metastases from breast cancer are required.
authors.affiliation: Division of Breast Surgery, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. kl.cheung@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kwok-Leung
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Ray K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Iles
authors.forename: John F R
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; D011379:Prognosis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D024042:Collagen Type I; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; C047202:procollagen Type I N-terminal peptide
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