Bony metastases from breast cancer - a study of foetal antigen 2 as a blood tumour marker

World Journal of Surgical Oncology

Research

John F R Robertson¹  Kwok-Leung Cheung¹  Ray K Iles² 

[1] Division of Breast Surgery, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK;Williamson Laboratory, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK;

关键词: Breast Cancer;    Metastatic Breast Cancer;    Bone Metabolism;    Advanced Breast Cancer;    Primary Breast Cancer;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1477-7819-8-38

 received in 2010-03-16, accepted in 2010-05-13,  发布年份 2010

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundFoetal 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.MethodsSerum FA-2 concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 153 women with different stages of breast cancer and in 34 normal controls.ResultsSerum 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.ConclusionsFA-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.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Cheung et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010