Kazunari Maeda

Expression of mucin 1 possessing a 3′‐sulfated core1 in recurrent and metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer threatening the lives of women between the ages of 30 and 64. The cancer antigen 15‐3 assay (CA15‐3) has been widely used for the detection of breast cancer recurrence; however, its sensitivity and specificity are inadequate. We previously found that the breast cancer cell line YMBS secretes mucin 1 possessing 3′‐sulfated core1 (3Score1‐MUC1) into the medium. Therefore, we here evaluated whether 3Score1‐MUC1 is secreted into the blood streams of breast cancer patients, and whether it can serve as an improved breast cancer marker. We developed a lectin‐sandwich immunoassay, called Gal4/MUC1, using a 3′‐sulfated core1‐specific galectin‐4 and a MUC1 monoclonal antibody. Using the Gal4/MUC1 assay method, we found that 3Score1‐MUC1 was profoundly expressed in the blood streams of patients with recurrent and/or metastatic breast cancer. The positive ratio of the Gal4/MUC1 assay was higher than that of the CA15‐3 assay in both primary (n = 240) and relapsed (n = 43) patients, especially in the latter of which the positive ratio of Gal4/MUC1 was 86%. whereas that of CA15‐3 was 47%. Furthermore, serum Gal4/MUC1 levels could more sensitively reflect the recurrence of primary breast cancer patients after surgery. Therefore, the Gal4/MUC1 assay should be an excellent alternative to the CA15‐3 tumor marker for tracking the recurrence and metastasis of breast cancer.

Abstract P1-01-12: Intraoperative detection of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer patients using ultrasonography-guided direct indocyanine green dye-marking by real-time virtual sonography constructed with three-dimensional computed tomography-lymphography

Purpose: This study aims to determine the utility of ultrasonography (US)-guided direct dye-marking of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) by real-time virtual sonography (RVS) constructed with three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT)-lymphography (LG). Patients and Methods: We identified SLNs in 258 clinically node-negative breast cancer patients using an RVS system to display in real time a virtual multiplanar reconstruction CT image obtained from CT volume data corresponding to the same cross-sectional image from US. CT volume data were obtained using our original 3D CT-LG, which accurately detects SLNs in breast cancer. We then perform US-guided dye-marking close to SLNs using indocyanine green (ICG). Subsequently, indigo carmine blue dye was injected into the subareolar and peritumoral areas around each primary tumor. All patients underwent SLN biopsy and SLN metastases were examined pathologically. Results: In all 258 patients, we were able to detect the same SLNs visualized on 3DCT-LG, using the RVS system. We detected ICG close to SLNs in 257 of 258 patients (99.6%) during SLN biopsy. In 25 patients (9%), we failed to follow the blue lymphatic route stained by indigo carmine and SLNs were not stained by indigo carmine, but easily detected SLNs by ICG marking. Conclusion: US-guided direct ICG dye-marking of SLNs using this RVS system seems useful for the detection of SLNs, allowing easy detection of SLNs even when the stained lymphatic route is not followed. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P1-01-12.