ABSTRACT
We have examined the possibility of obtaining primary cultures from breast tissue utilizing a method especially developed for breast epithelium. The number of specimens able to grow in culture was very high: 82.8%, 64.3%, 75.0% and 77.8%, respectively, for primary breast cancer, skin recurrences, inflammatory breast cancer and normal breast tissue. In our experience, growth was not related to menopausal status or histopathologic type, whereas for skin recurrences, a prior pharmacologic treatment (chemotherapy) of the patient enhanced the growth capacity of the tissue. This culture method could help to study the basic biology of breast epithelia and to improve the chemotherapy approach of breast cancer patients.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Culture Techniques/methods , Epithelium/pathology , Female , Humans , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathologySubject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis , Carcinoembryonic Antigen/analysis , Cytosol/chemistry , Adult , Aged , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Middle Aged , PrognosisSubject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/chemistry , Carcinoembryonic Antigen/analysis , Cytosol/chemistry , Female , HumansABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the results obtained from a new enzyme immunoassay (Abbott-ER-EIA) for the determination of estrogen receptor levels in tumor cytosols in comparison with the currently used DCC method. One hundred and fifteen consecutive primary breast cancer specimens were examined; 66 of the women were postmenopausal and 49 were premenopausal. A good correlation (r = 0.88, p less than 0.001 and a slope of 1.3) was found between ER-EIA and the steroid binding assay (DCC). When these data were analyzed according to menopausal status, no differences were observed for the slopes and correlation coefficients in pre' and postmenopausal groups. The ER-EIA appears to produce results comparable to those obtained with the conventional DCC method for the determination of ER in breast tumor cytosols.
