Annals of Oncology Advance Access originally published online on March 7, 2007
Annals of Oncology 2007 18(5):868-873; doi:10.1093/annonc/mdm007
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© 2007 European Society for Medical Oncology
breast cancer |
Autoantibodies in breast cancer: their use as an aid to early diagnosis
,*
1 Division of Breast Surgery, The University of Nottingham
2 OncImmune Ltd, Nottingham City Hospital, Nottingham, NG5 IPB, UK
3 Department of Internal Medicine, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
* Correspondence to: Dr C. Chapman, Division of Breast Surgery, Clinical Sciences Building, Nottingham City Hospital, Nottingham, NG5 1PB, UK. Tel: +44-115-823-1825; Fax: + 44-115-823-1958; E-mail: caroline.chapman{at}nottingham.ac.uk
Background: There is increasing evidence that the immune system produces a humoral response to cancer-derived antigens. This study assessed the diagnostic potential of autoantibodies to multiple known tumour-associated proteins.
Patients and methods: Sera from normal controls (n = 94), primary breast cancer patients (n = 97) and patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (n = 40) were investigated for the presence of autoantibodies to p53, c-myc, HER2, NY-ESO-1, BRCA1, BRCA2 and MUC1 antigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Reproducibly elevated levels of autoantibodies were seen in at least one of the six antigens in 64% of primary breast cancer patient sera and 45% of patients with DCIS at a specificity of 85%. No significant differences were seen when patients were subdivided by age, tumour size, histological grade, lymph node status or detection methodology.
Conclusions: Autoantibodies against one or more of these tumour-associated antigens appears to indicate the presence of early-stage breast cancers. Autoantibody assays against a panel of antigens could be used as an aid to mammography in the detection and diagnosis of early primary breast cancer, especially in younger women at increased risk of breast cancer where mammography is known to have reduced sensitivity and specificity.
Key words: antigen, autoantibodies, breast cancer, diagnosis, immunologic tests, tumour markers
The contribution from these individuals is joint. Received for publication October 15, 2006. Revision received January 8, 2007. Accepted for publication January 8, 2007.
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