Detection Of Hmam-mRNA In Peripheral Blood From Patients With Breast Cancer And Its Clinical Significance

Objective To further study the possibility of human breast-specific mamglobin(Hmam)as an indictor for diagnosis and prognosis in breast cancer.Methods Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 67 patients with breast cancer, 16 patients with benign breast disease, and 20 normal healthy volunteers. To identify breast carcinoma cells in peripheral blood, Human breast-specific mamglobin(Hmam-mRNA)were amplified from total RNA extracted from whole blood by nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (Nested-RT-PCR). The relationship between the expression of Hmam-mRNA and its correlated clinical marker was analysed.Results Hmam-mRNA was not detectable in the blood from normal healthy volunteers and patients with benign breast disease. Among 67 breast carcinoma patients, 20 were Nested-RT-PCR positive for Hmam-mRNA. The positive rate was 29.8％(20/67). Among the clinical pathological stage of breast cancer patients-Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ, Hmam-mRNA was detectable in 1 of 8(12.5％) patients with stageⅠ, 5 of 24(20.83％) patients with stageⅡ , 3 of 16(18.8％) patients with stage Ⅲ, 11 of 19(57.9％) patients with stage Ⅳ. The presence of Hmam-mRNA in blood of breast cancer patients with Ⅳ stage was significant higher than that of patients with stage Ⅰ,Ⅱand Ⅲ (P＜0.05) .The positive rate of Hmam-mRNA was correlate with clinical stage to some degree, But the expression of Hmam-mRNA in peripheral blood was not correlate with patient's age ,primary tumor size,histological grade,estrogen or pregnant receptor status; Hmam-mRNA expression was detectble in all 34 primary breast carcinoma and corresponding normal breast tissues. The expression in primary breast carcinoma tissues and corresponding normal breast tissues was no different. Hmam-mRNA expression was detectble in all 10 of benign breast disease.Hmam-mRNA is sensitive and specific for breast cancer .Conclusion Hmam-mRNA is a special marker of breast tissue and that may be a marker of micrometastasis of breast cancer. The presence of Hmam-mRNA in peripheral blood may be indicator of breast cancer cells ,which might predic hematogenous spreading metastasis of tumor cells in patients with breast cancer. The detection of the expression of Hmam-mRNA in peripheral blood of breast cancer is of value indiagnosis and judgement of prognosis of breast cancer.