Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0006142 (breast cancer)
 160,383 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Five tumor markers were measured simultaneously in serum by radioimmunoassay: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotrophin (HGC), the beta subunit of HCG, and Kappa casein. In a population of 935 normal subjects these antigens were undetectable or found within precise limits. In patients with tumors of various origins the rate of pathologically elevated levels was 72% at the beginning of the clinical course (194 cases). This high rate was primarily due to the simultaneous measurement of CEA, betaHCG, HCG, and casein. AFP was of little importance. The simultaneous measurement of these tumor markers may be one biochemical element of diagnosis of carcinoma, although this criterion is neither absolute nor specific, as 14.7% of patients with non-neoplastic disorders (234 cases) were positive for one antigen. In the presence of metastases (112 cases) the rate of pathologic levels of at least one antigen was increased: 86% due to CEA and casein assay at the same time as their absolute levels were increased. Surgical removal reduces the rate of positivity of these antigens to 37%. As was shown in patients with breast cancer, the rate was 10% when the tumor had been removed at Stage N- and 54% when it was removed at Stage N+. Thus, the persistence of pathologic levels could be correlated with the capacity for recurrence or metastases. Finally chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both, do not decrease the rate of positivity of the tumor markers.
 ...
PMID:Simultaneous assays of cancer-associated antigens in various neoplastic disorders. 6 15

50 patients with primary breast cancer were studied to determine the CEA and HCG contents in their tumor cells before any treatment was initiated. Tumor cells were obtained by needle biopsy and each tumor cell population was stained by immunofluorescence. In 21 of the 50 patients, CEA containing cells were found in a frequency ranging from 5 to 80% of the tumor cell population. The results were confirmed by radioimmunoassay of tumor extracts. No apparent relation was seen to cytologic type or grade of differentiation. HCG was detected by IF in 4 tumors with an apocrine cytologic cell type. The level of CEA in plasma was determined before treatment and followed for 2-6 months in 72 patients. CEA was the only measured serum parameter that correlated initially with size and extent of the localized tumor. It was too low to be of use for monitoring primary disease, but should be of value in early detection of metastasis. Posttreatment a low or decreased plasma CEA was seen more often in patients who had had curative treatment than in those given palliative radiation. No raised serum HCG levels were found. Raised serum liver enzymes did not predict the extent of the primary tumor but may be an indication of distant spread. Tumor CEA content and CEA plasma concentration were correlated, although not very strongly. This means that CEA, although present in the tumor, is not always released in measurable amounts.
 ...
PMID:Carcinoembryonic antigen and other tumor markers in tissue and serum or plasma of patients with primary mammary carcinoma. 36 Dec 13

Other approaches to determine whether patients have a high probability of metastases (and therefore no need for axillary dissection) have been the measurements of several circulating substances (e.g., polyamines, nucleosides, CEA and HCG). None of these are by themselves useful. There is a high percentage positive in those patients with metastatic disease (with up to 97% positive for either HCG, CEA, or guanosine (nucleoside). What we need is a correlation or a parameter of what the tumor cell number is, who to treat, and how long. Today's therapy is larger empiric. The ultimate goal is to individualize therapy. Figure 1 summarizes a planned treatment for a woman with a breast cancer in 1974.
 ...
PMID:Cancer treatment combined modality approach. 102 65

A biocybernetical analysis was accomplished for a better understanding of the hormonal management in breast cancer therapy, which is based on reported experimental facts and observations. By this a graphentheoretical model of regulation could be obtained answering some unsolved questions. These questions concern the hypothalamic control of the LTH secretion, the regression of the reproductive organs, the significance of that cyclic testosterone secretion by the ovaries recently reported, and the importance of HCG in the establishment of pregnancy and in proliferation of mammary tissue.
 ...
PMID:A model of the endocrine regulation of the female reproductive organs. 123 87

The ectopic production of HCG by non-trophoblastic tumors is well documented. Adenocarcinomas arising in the mammary gland have been shown to stain positively for the beta subunit of HCG using immunoperoxidase technique. In the present study we used the Monoclonal antibodies (M. abs) H6, H34 and H54 directed against the subunits of this hormone. A total of 31 breast tissue sections from formalin fixed, paraffin embedded unselected material was examined, out of which 22 concerned different types of primary breast cancer (Ca), 5 local recurrences, 3 cystic disease (CD) and one was an axillary lymph node metastasis (LNM). All cases were evaluated for cytoplasmic localization of the beta subunit HCG using the Mab H36 and among the 27 breast Ca 9 were studied with Mab H34 and 6 with Mab H54. Our results with the Mab H6 showed the following: 1) 55.5% of the Ca including the recurrences, were strongly positive (+) and 18.5% weakly positive (+/-); 2) 63.6% of the Grade III tumors were negative (-), whereas 81.2% of the Grade II were +, 18.7% +/- and none was -; 3) It seems that by increasing infiltration of the tumor size positivity is increased; 4) Lymphocytic infiltration of the tumor stroma and LNM did not appear related; 5) From the FU data of 14 cases collected up to now, the 10-year-survival seems to be inconclusive; 6) The 3 cases of CD were negative except for the apocrine cells which were positive; 7) The unique axillary LNM was positive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Immunohistochemical expression of subunit beta HCG in breast cancer. 128 1

A 8 1/2 year old boy is reported, who was admitted because of rapid growth and premature development of pubic hair. Pseudopubertas praecox was diagnosed, caused by a beta-HCG producing mediastinal teratocarcinoma. The patient also had a pituitary germinoma. His karyotype was 47, XXY. While the association of Klinefelter's syndrome and breast cancer is well known, only recently an increased incidence of mediastinal germ cell tumors in this syndrome has been established, which again is demonstrated in this case report.
 ...
PMID:[Mediastinal teratocarcinoma and hypophyseal stalk germinoma in a patient with Klinefelter syndrome]. 169 Mar 12

Tumour markers are often circulating tumour-associated indicators of tumour development. As such they are not suitable for tumour screening and localization, but valuable as adjuncts for medical follow-up care of tumour patients, where their serum level alterations may anticipate the clinical detection of tumour behaviour by a lead time of 1 to 6 months before other methods. The following tumour may be controlled by established markers: endocrine tumours by NSE, calcitonin, parathormone, 5-HIAA, catecholamines/metabolites etc.; head-neck tumours: SCC, CEA; thyroid carcinoma: TG, calcitonin; lung cancer: CEA, NSE, SCC; liver cancer: AFP (PLC), CA 19-9 (cholangiocell.), CEA (secondary): biliary tract and pancreatic cancer: CA 19-9; colorectal carcinoma: CEA, CA 19-9; squamous cell carcinoma (ENT, oesophagus, anal): SCC; breast cancer: CEA and CA 15-3; ovarian cancer: CA 125 (epithelial), CA 19-9 (mucinous); germ cell tumours (ovary including trophoblastic tumours/testes): AFP and HCG; prostatic cancer: PAP and PSA; bladder cancer: TPA.
 ...
PMID:[Clinical relevance of tumor markers]. 267 6

Cancers of unknown origin represent approximately 5% of all cancers and are therefore as frequent as some solid tumors such as gastric or pancreatic cancers. The diagnosis of cancer of unknown origin should be based on a detailed pathological examination including immunohistochemical techniques and electron microscopy; hormonal receptors should also be measured. Besides detailed medical history and physical examination, only a few additional tests should be carried out: routine chemistry including the assay of HCG, alphafoetoprotein and specific antigen of the prostate, chest X-ray, thyroid scan, mammography and abdominal CT scan. Other tests are generally not of sufficient specificity and sensitivity. Unknown primary tumors arising in the cervical area are frequently squamous cell carcinomas corresponding to occult primary tumors of the upper aerodigestive mucosae and are efficiently treated by cervicofacial radiotherapy or lymph node dissection. Women presenting with axillary lymph nodes with no obvious primary tumor should be treated according to the guidelines used for breast cancer. The patients with inguinal lymph nodes of unknown origin are usually treated with radiation therapy. The syndrome of germinal tumors of extragonadic origin corresponds to cases of undifferentiated or poorly differentiated carcinomas in patients under 50 years of age and with one of the following characteristics: involvement of the median organs, lung involvement, lymph node involvement or increase of alphafoetoprotein or HCG. The therapeutic approach recommended for these patients consists of the chemotherapeutic combination used for testicular cancer. For all other patients, the prognosis remains poor. Patients with local symptoms may be treated by radiation therapy; others may receive a combination of fluorouracil, doxorubicin and mitomycin.
 ...
PMID:[Diagnosis and treatment of unknown primary tumors]. 269 83

Two hundred and eighty-six patients presenting with metastatic adenocarcinoma or undifferentiated carcinoma whose primary site was not identified by clinical history, physical examination and chest radiograph have been studied. Median survival from presentation was 22 weeks. Factors independently predicting improved survival were lymph node presentations, good performance status and body weight loss of less than 10 per cent. In 88 (31 per cent) patients the primary tumour site was subsequently identified, in 58 (20 per cent) during life. Lung cancer was the most frequently identified primary tumour, and in only 32 (11 per cent) of the patients was a 'treatable' primary tumour (i.e. germ cell, breast, ovarian, prostate, thyroid cancer or lymphoma) identified. Among the treatable primary tumours were those in eight out of 16 female patients presenting with axillary metastases who were subsequently shown to have primary breast cancer and four of 13 females presenting with ascites who were found to have primary ovarian cancer. Prostatic cancer was confirmed in five out of 13 men with raised serum acid phosphatase. Of 22 patients with elevated serum alphafoetoprotein (AFP) or beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin levels (beta HCG) 18 had some features of the 'atypical teratoma syndrome'. Of the total of 32 patients with treatable tumour types, 29 (90 per cent) were identified during life. Median survival for patients with treatable tumour types identified during life was 104 weeks, compared with 22 weeks for the group as a whole. Retrospective immunocytochemical staining of the original biopsy showed that prostatic specific antigen and antibodies to beta HCG and AFP were diagnostically useful, but a series of organ site non-specific markers of histogenesis or cellular differentiation (carcinoembryonic antigen, secretory component for IgA, peanut lectin binding, epithelial membrane antigen and keratin) showed no significant correlations with identified primary sites, responsiveness to empirical chemotherapy or survival. Metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma or adenocarcinoma from an unknown primary site represents 6.5 per cent of all referrals to the medical oncology unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. We offer guidelines for the rapid identification of the limited number of primary sites for which effective and specific forms of systemic treatment are available.
 ...
PMID:Metastatic adeno or undifferentiated carcinoma from an unknown primary site--natural history and guidelines for identification of treatable subsets. 365 56

The incidence of tumours ectopically producing the human chorionic gonadotrophins was studied in patients with breast cancer. Specific radioimmunoassay of subunits of HCG was utilized. Nine out of 65 patients with carcinoma of breast showed the presence of circulating HCG. Patients with other pathological conditions of breast tissue did not show any evidence of circulating HCG.
 ...
PMID:Ectopic production of human chorionic gonadotrophin by human breast tumours. 437 64


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>