Peripheral blood mammaglobin gene expression for diagnosis and prediction of metastasis in breast cancer patients

• Published in: Asia-Pacific journal of clinical oncology Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 66 - 70
• Main Authors: RADWAN, Wafaa M, MOUSSA, Heba S, ESSA, Enas S, KANDIL, Samia H, KAMEL, Azza M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Publishing Asia 01-03-2013
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - blood; Adenocarcinoma - diagnosis; Adenocarcinoma - genetics; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers, Tumor - blood; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Breast - metabolism; Breast - pathology; breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - blood; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - blood; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - genetics; Carcinoma, Lobular - blood; Carcinoma, Lobular - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Lobular - genetics; Carcinoma, Medullary - blood; Carcinoma, Medullary - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Medullary - genetics; Carcinoma, Papillary - blood; Carcinoma, Papillary - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Papillary - genetics; Case-Control Studies; circulating tumor cell; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; mammaglobin; Mammaglobin A - blood; Mammaglobin A - genetics; metastasis; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Grading; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - blood; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1743-7555; 1743-7563
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-7563.2012.01556.x

Aim:  To evaluate the value of peripheral blood mammaglobin (MG) gene expression for diagnosis and prediction of metastasis in breast cancer patients.
Methods:  MG expression was detected by nested reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction in the peripheral blood of 46 females (32 breast cancer, 12 benign breast lesions, 2 no breast abnormalities). In total 28 breast cancer patients were followed up through a period of 34 months for the development of metastasis.
Results:  MG expression was detected in 16/32 (50%) breast cancer patients but not in patients with benign lesions or healthy participants. Five patients had metastasis at diagnosis. During the 34 months of follow up, five more MG‐positive patients showed metastatic lesions and none of the MG negative patients who were followed up developed metastasis.
Conclusion:  The study suggests blood MG expression is a specific molecular marker for detection of occult mammary carcinoma cells of patients with operable breast cancer. It might be of value as a predictor of subsequent metastasis. Large‐scale studies and longer follow‐up periods are needed.