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

Several investigators have shown that the expression of the sialyl-Tn (STn) epitope on cancer associated mucins is associated with a poor prognosis in several human cancers suggesting that STn may have functional significance in metastasis. We postulate that antibodies against the STn-epitope can inhibit metastasis. We generated a synthetic "mimic", NANA alpha (2-->6)GalNAc alpha-O-Crotyl (STn-crotyl), of the natural O-linked epitope on mucins, NANA alpha (2-->6)GalNAc alpha-O-Serine (STn-serine). STn-crotyl was conjugated to the carrier protein KLH through the crotyl linker arm and a "vaccine" containing STn-KLH plus Detox adjuvant was formulated. The immunogenicity of the vaccine was evaluated in BALB/c mice and in metastatic breast cancer patients. The specificity and titres of IgG antibodies were evaluated by ELISA on ovine submaxillary mucin (OSM) solid phases. OSM is a convenient source of repeating, natural O-linked STn-serine structures. Mice immunized three times with as little as 0.25 microgram of STn-KLH produced a median IgG titre of over 1:5000 on solid phase OSM. Anti-OSM IgG monoclonal antibodies generated from these mice were completely inhibited in their binding to solid phase OSM equally well by STn-serine and STn-crotyl synthetic haptens but not by several other closely related synthetic haptens. Breast cancer patients immunized 2-8 times with 25 or 100 micrograms of the same vaccine produced median peak IgG titres 1:1280 measured on STn-HSA and 1:80 on OSM. Once again, hapten inhibition experiments with the human sera demonstrated the specificities of the IgG antibodies for STn-crotyl and STn-serine, but not against several other related synthetic haptens. We found little or no evidence that the artificial linker arm (crotyl linker) contributed significantly to either the titre or affinity of the antibodies generated in either mice or human breast cancer patients. This suggests that the antibodies recognized the cancer-associated disaccharide NANA alpha (2-->6)GalNAc. Evidence of a clinical response was noted in several of the immunized breast cancer patients with other patients showing prolonged disease stability.
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PMID:Specificity of the IgG response in mice and human breast cancer patients following immunization against synthetic sialyl-Tn, an epitope with possible functional significance in metastasis. 752 78

We generated a synthetic epitope, NANA alpha(2-6) GalNAc alpha-O-Crotyl (STn-crotyl), designed to "mimic" the natural O-linked epitope expressed on human carcinoma cells, NANA alpha(2-6)GalNAc alpha-O-Serine (STn-serine). STn-crotyl was conjugated to the carrier protein KLH through the crotyl linker arm, and a "vaccine" containing STn-KLH plus DETOX adjuvant was formulated. The immunogenicity of the vaccine was evaluated preclinically in CAF1 mice and subsequently in patients with metastatic breast cancer. The specificity and titers of IgG antibodies were evaluated by kinetic ELISA on synthetic STn-HSA and on ovine submaxillary mucin (OSM) solid phases. Ovine submaxillary mucin is a convenient source of repeating, natural O-linked STn-serine structures. Mice immunized three times with as little as 0.25 micrograms of STn-KLH produced IgG titers ranging from 1:10(4) to 1:10(5) when tested on solid phase OSM. Anti-OSM IgG, both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, generated from these mice were completely inhibited in their binding to solid phase OSM equally well by STn-serine and STn-crotyl synthetic haptens but not by several other closely related synthetic haptens. These monoclonal antibodies also bound to STn determinants on human tumor cell surfaces. Breast cancer patients immunized with 100 micrograms of the same vaccine produced median peak IgG titers 1:1280 measured on STn-HSA and 1:160 on OSM. Hapten inhibition experiments with the human sera demonstrated the specificities of the IgG antibodies for STn-crotyl and STn-serine, but not against several other related synthetic haptens. We found little evidence that the artificial linker arm (crotyl linker) contributed substantially to either the titer or affinity of the antibodies generated in either mice or human breast cancer patients. This suggests that the antibodies recognized the cancer-associated disaccharide NANA alpha(2-->6)-GalNAc. Small but not large doses of STn-KLH immunogen induced anti-STn DTH responses in mice that were inversely proportional to the antibody responses. Evidence of a clinical response was noted in some of the immunized breast cancer patients, with other patients showing prolonged disease stability.
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PMID:Immune responses of mice and human breast cancer patients following immunization with synthetic sialyl-Tn conjugated to KLH plus detox adjuvant. 769 Feb 15

Mucins are complex glycoproteins expressed by glandular epithelia and the carcinoma which develop from these tissues. The core protein is aberrantly glycosylated in cancers, and some antibodies show specificity in their reactions with the cancer-associated mucins, which also contains epitopes recognized by T-cells from pancreatic and breast cancer patients. Based on the PCR amplification of the mucin coding sequences, hybridization analysis and determination of the sequence divergence we present the evidence that mucin coding sequences are conserved in a number of species. A broad series of organisms were examined for analogous sequences. Data show that mucin-type sequences are present in a variety of mammals, but less apparent in chicken and yeast. Divergence increased in the order human, monkey, rabbit/rat/cow, mouse; chicken and yeast exhibited minimal homology. Furthermore, nucleotide sequences not included in the tandem repeats, a common feature of mucin core structure, are more conserved than the flanking sequences which also suggests that the flanking sequences may be functionally significant while repeats are structurally important. The hybridization bands showed different restriction patterns (suggesting for the existence of the restriction fragment length polymorphism). Northern analysis indicates message polydispersity, commonly seen with this class of RNA. The major features of the protein appear broadly conserved in the different mammalian species examined. The evolutionary significance of the above studies has been discussed.
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PMID:Mucin coding sequences are remarkably conserved. 779 87

Despite modern therapy, one third to one half of patients who get breast cancer will eventually die from it. This disconcerting circumstance has focused attention on prevention, and preventing breast cancer will require a much better understanding of the biological abnormalities underlying its development and progression. Many studies into the mechanisms of invasive breast cancer evolution have evaluated presumed precursor lesions (e.g. proliferative disease without atypia, atypical ductal hyperplasia, and ductal carcinoma in-situ) for genetic alterations known to occur in fully developed invasive carcinomas. This approach has shed some light on events which may be important in early malignant transformation, including the observations that overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncogene and mutations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene are present in significant subsets of DCIS, but not PDWA or ADH. Although this approach is limited by our incomplete knowledge of cancer genetics, there is still a great deal to learn about breast cancer evolution by evaluating cancer-associated genes in potential precursor lesions using established techniques such as immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 1994
PMID:Immunohistochemical studies of early breast cancer evolution. 781 82

Sialyl-Tn (STn) is a carcinoma-associated carbohydrate determinant expressed on cancer-associated mucins and has the structure NANA alpha(2-6)alpha GalNAc. Expression of STn in colon and ovarian cancer is associated with a poor prognosis independent of tumour grade, stage or histological type. We have examined 237 cases of primary breast cancer for expression of this antigen using the antibody HB-STn (Dako). The frequency of STn expression was 31% in the whole group, 36% in the node-negative and 28% in the node-positive group. Survival was lower, but not significantly so, in the STn-positive group (P = 0.07), but this effect was highly significant for patients with node-positive disease (P < 0.002), the curves for node-negative disease being coincident (P = 0.31). In node-positive disease the effect was limited to those receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.001). In a multivariate (Cox) analysis on the whole group STn staining, combined with adjuvant chemotherapy, showed a highly significant correlation with survival. In STn-negative cases, adjuvant chemotherapy improved survival (relative risk 2.3, 95% confidence intervals 1.4-3.9), whereas adjuvant chemotherapy did not influence survival in patients which expressed STn (relative risk 1.1, 95% confidence intervals 0.6-2.2). Thus, by either direct or indirect mechanisms, STn positivity appears to be a marker of resistance to adjuvant chemotherapy.
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PMID:Expression of sialyl-Tn predicts the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy in node-positive breast cancer. 798 Oct 88

Early breast neoplasia may be defined in many ways. Any non-invasive or invasive but nonmetastatic breast cancer qualifies as early neoplasia in the sense that they are non-lethal. Before we can prevent lethal breast cancer, we must gain a better understanding of the biological abnormalities underlying its development and progression. Many studies into the mechanisms of breast cancer evolution have evaluated potential precursor lesions (e.g., proliferative disease without atypia [PDWA], atypical ductal hyperplasia [ADH], and ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS]) for genetic alterations known to occur in fully developed invasive carcinomas. This approach has shed some light on events which may be important in early malignant transformation, including the observations that overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncogene and mutations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene are present in significant subsets of DCIS, but not PDWA or ADH. This approach is limited by our incomplete knowledge of cancer genetics. However, there is more to learn by evaluating known cancer-associated genes in potential precursor lesions using established techniques such as immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Until recently, technology could not detect unknown genetic abnormalities in microscopic lesions such as PDWA, ADH, or DCIS. Now, PCR-based techniques have the theoretical ability to detect novel tumor promoter and suppressor genes in clinical samples of these very small lesions. For example, suppressor-type genes may be detected using comprehensive mapping probes to identify loss of heterozygosity in PCR-amplified DNA extracted from a few hundred cells microdissected from either fresh or archival tissue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Biomarkers in early breast neoplasia. 800 90

Normal skeletal integrity is maintained by physiological bone turnover through a coupled process of bone resorption, mediated by osteoclasts, followed by new bone formation, mediated by osteoblasts. Major features of the pathogenesis of cancer-associated skeletal destruction are enhanced osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and disruption of normal bone formation. In this article, the literature on the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of metastatic bone disease is discussed. Animal and clinical trials investigating novel bone targeted agents, emphasizing the bisphosphonates, are critically assessed. The most frequent clinical manifestations of bone metastases are pain, fracture, immobility, spinal cord compression, and hypercalcemia. New treatments under study for patients with bone metastases include agents specifically targeted to the skeleton such as bone-seeking radioisotopes and bisphosphonates. Studies in animal models of metastatic bone disease show that these bisphosphonates are able to inhibit tumor-induced osteolysis and are potentially useful in this condition. Bisphosphonates have been investigated in several clinical trials of patients with skeletal metastases from breast cancer, prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma. Overall, the studies investigating bone targeted radioisotopes or bisphosphonates for the treatment of morbidity due to skeletal metastases have been inconclusive. An improved understanding of the pathogenesis of metastatic bone disease and preclinical studies with bisphosphonates suggest that these agents may have a role in the treatment of this disorder. Additional trials of new generation bisphosphonates, employing a rigorously controlled, randomized study design with adequate numbers of subjects, are needed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of this class of agents in this setting.
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PMID:New bisphosphonates in the treatment of bone metastases. 824 77

A highly immunogenic peptide motif within the tandem repeat domain of MUC1 mucin is assumed to be exposed during development of breast cancer due to altered O-glycosylation. To elucidate the structural aspects of these changes, we have isolated and analysed the integrated or secretory MUC1 glycoforms from carcinoma cell lines or solid tumors and from human milk. The buoyant densities measured in CsCl gradients for MUC1 glycoforms from cancer cells revealed heterogeneity of the physicochemical species and a significant reduction of their carbohydrate contents compared to MUC1 from skim milk. Immunoreactivity patterns of MUC1 glycoforms from tumor or T47D cells exhibited a lack of fucosylated Lewis blood-group-related antigens and the appearance of core-type antigen sialyl(NeuGl)-TF, Gal beta 1-3(NeuGl alpha 2-6)GalNAc. Structural chemistry of MUC1 oligosaccharides demonstrated that the cancer-associated glycoforms carry mainly sialylated trisaccharides NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal Beta 1-3GalNAc or NeuAc alpha 2-6(Gal beta l-3)GalNAc, exhibit a concomitant decrease in the ratio of GlcNAc/GalNAc, a reduction or disappearance of L-fucose, and a partial substitution of N-acetylneuraminic acid by the N-glycolylated variant. On comparison to the secretory MUC1 in human milk, the glycoforms on human milk fat globule membranes showed apparently identical patterns of O-linked oligosaccharides with a preponderance of neutral polylactosamino-glycans. During serum-free cultivation of T47D cells over 4 weeks, the expression of secretory MUC1 glycoforms was inconsistent based on the decreasing contents of sialic acid and on the concomitant increase of immunodetectable TF antigen.
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PMID:MUC1 glycoforms in breast cancer--cell line T47D as a model for carcinoma-associated alterations of 0-glycosylation. 861 81

Wearing a special thermometric brassiere, selected women self-measured their breast surface temperature. These measurements were made during one hour each evening at home for one menstrual cycle under standard conditions of overclothing and room temperature. To stage their cycle they also collected daily samples of saliva in their freezer for immuno-assay of progesterone concentration in the laboratory. A total of 82 women participated, most having young families. This total included four groups, a control group (N = 25) and three 'disease' groups, namely: family history of breast cancer (14); benign breast disease (12); and a 'cancer-associated' group (31) who had had previous cancer surgery. A significant breast temperature rhythm with a period at or about 28 days was found not only in the controls but also in the three groups of breasts designated 'disease'. Nevertheless, consistent rhythm abnormalities were found in all the disease groups. Most evident was a hyperthermia throughout the cycle, a reduction in the rhythm amplitude, and a tendency for the breast temperature rhythm to be manifest 1-2 days earlier in the menstrual cycle.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 1996
PMID:The luteal heat cycle of the breast in disease. 875 May 84

Micropapillary patterns of apocrine change in human female breasts are common histological findings. They have been identified as cancer associated and implicated as an indicator of cancer risk in a predictive manner. This study has stratified papillary apocrine change (PAC) into categories of increasing complexity using a combination of cytological and histological pattern rules. Cases (2,876) were identified in a review of 10,357 benign breast biopsies. Of 5966 women, 1613 and PAC and were followed for a median of 20 years after biopsy for the development of invasive carcinoma of the breast. There was a slight association with cancer risk elevation, but most of this disappeared when women with concurrent, specifically identified patterns of atypical hyperplasia (AH) were excluded from the groups with PAC. The resultant relative risk was only 1.2 after women with AH were excluded. Only 1% of the reviewed biopsies demonstrated highly complex patterns of PAC, and 20% of these had coexistent lesions of AH. Women with highly complex patterns of PAC without AH did experience a relative risk of 2.4 (95% confidence interval = 0.77-7.04) but without statistical significance. More than one-half of all PAC patterns occurred without concurrent foci of lesions of proliferative disease that are associated with a slight elevation of breast cancer risk (at least 1.5 times); when present without proliferative disease, there was no suggestion of later breast cancer risk for PAC.
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PMID:Papillary apocrine change of the breast: associations with atypical hyperplasia and risk of breast cancer. 877 Apr 63


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