Serum tartrate resistant acid phosphatase as a potential marker of bone metastasis from breast cancer
Wada, N.; Ishii, S.; Ikeda, T.; Enomoto, K.; Kitajima, M.
Anticancer Research 19(5c): 4515-4521
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0250-7005 PMID: 10650803 Document Number: 504204
Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) is exclusively localized in osteoclasts and has been suggested to be a unique marker of bone metastasis. TRACP activity using an improved spectrophotometric assay was measured in 56 healthy volunteers and 113 breast cancer patients, including 35 with bone metastases (BM). TRACP activities (IU/l, mean +/- SD) of normal subjects in pre- and post-menopausal women were 5.7 +/- 1.3 and 6.6 +/- 1.2, respectively (p < 0.02). The specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of TRACP in patients, were 91.0%, 65.7%, and 83.2%, respectively. TRACP was significantly higher in patients with BM than in patients without BM (p < 0.01). In patients with BM, TRACP increased in proportion to the number of BM. Regarding clinical assessment of treatment of BM, TRACP was significantly higher in patients with progressive disease. TRACP is a useful marker of metastatic bone disease and response to treatment in breast cancer patients.