Prognostic value of transferrin, immunoglobulins and alpha-1-antitrypsin in breast cancer
Gómez, P.; Ivonne Vences, M.; Engracia Beltrán, M.; Rábago, M.; Castorena, C.; García-Alonso, H.
Archivos de Investigacion Medica 15(2): 173-181
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0066-6769 PMID: 6333223 Document Number: 229303
Patients (107) with primary mammary carcinoma were studied. Transferrin, Ig (A, G and M) and .alpha.-1-antitrypsin were quantitated by means of laser nephelometry in breast cancer cytosol. Higher transferrin and Ig A content was shown in lobular carcinoma as compared with medullary carcinoma (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Alpha-1-antitrypsin levels were lower in cytosol samples from patients with tumor recurrence after mastectomy as compared with cytosol samples from patients without tumoral recurrence (P < 0.01). When these data were analyzed for actuarial corrected survival, patients whose cytosols showed higher levels of alpha-1-antitrypsin and had no tumoral recurrence showed a survival rate probability of 100% at 5 yr, whereas patients with lower levels of .alpha.-1-antitrypsin in cytosol and tumoral recurrence showed 100% survival rate at 1 yr, 88% at 2 yr, 72% at 3 yr, 54% at 4 yr and 22% at 5 yr. The presence of lower levels of .alpha.-1-antitrypsin in the neoplasia could be of help to select those patients for specific systemic treatment immediately after the operation, when the number of residual malignant cells is small in order to offer the patients a better survival rate.