Pérez-Palacios G, Miranda H, Carreón J

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 175-178
PDF size: 45.50 Kb.

ABSTRACT

To assess whether the simultaneous determination of two estrogen-dependent enzymes in blood, may serve as screening test for breast cancer, a pilot, open study was conducted in 60 volunteer women. Mammography was used as the gold standard in the recruitment process; diagnosis of breast cancer or benign breast diseases was established by histological examination of breast biopsies. NDP-kinase and Leucine-aminopeptidase blood concentrations were determined using a tandem ELISA with specific monoclonal antibodies, and the results were expressed as ligand bound units (LBU) X 10-²/mL (mean ± SEM). One group included 18 women with diagnosis of breast cancer, while the second group was integrated by 42 volunteers either normal or with benign breast diseases. The enzymes plasma content in women with breast cancer was 1289.0 ± 81.4 LBU X 10^-2/mL, while in women with no malignancy was 929.0 ± 70.7 LBU X 10^-2/mL. Clinical sensitivity and specificity of the method were 88.8% and 69.0% respectively, while the positive predictive value was 55.1%, and the negative predictive value was 93.5%. The overall data suggest that this immunoassay could be used as a screening test to discriminate healthy women from those who have breast cancer, yet still require of a wide clinical validation through additional, blind, multicenter studies.