Summary
The immunocytochemical reactivity of breast cancers to antibodies raised against neuron-specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and an adenocarcinoma-associated glycolipid antigen (IR-14) was studied in relation to the long-term outcome of the neoplastic disease.
The patients whose tumours exhibited reactivity with the IR-14 and anti-NSE antibodies had a considerably better 5-year and long-term survival than those without such reactivity. Assessment of DNA-ploidy of the tumour cells was also relevant for long-term prognosis, immunohistochemistry giving additional prognostic information among aneuploid tumours. Reactivity with polyclonal CEA antibodies was of no prognostic value.
It is suggested that tumors carrying the IR-14 reactive epitope, which was originally isolated from circulating antigen-antibody complexes, might evoke a favourable immune response and thus improve the survival of the patient.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arklie J, Taylor-Papadimitriou J, Bodmer W, Egan M, Millis R (1981) Differentiation antigens expressed by epithelial cells in the lactating breast are also detectable in breast cancers. Int J Cancer 28:23–29
Auer G, Caspersson T, Wallgren A (1980) DNA content and survival in mammary carcinoma. Anal Quant Cytol 3:161–165
Azzopardi JG, Chepick OF, Hartmann WH (1981) Histological typing of breast tumours, 2nd edn, World Health Organization, Geneva and Am J clin Pathol 78:806–816
Bloom HJG, Richardson WW (1957) Histological grading and prognosis in breast cancer. Brit J Cancer 11:359–377
Burnett KG, Oh E, Hayden J (1985) Breast cancer antigens detected with human monoclonal antibodies. Dev Oncol 35:179–189
Bussolati G, Papotti M, Sapingo A, Gugliotta P, Ghiringhello B, Azzopardi JG (1987) Endocrine markers in argyrophilic carcinomas of the breast. Am J Surg Pathol 11:248–256
Caspersson T, Auer G, Fallenius A, Kudynowski J (1983) Cytochemical changes in the nucleus during tumour development. Histochem J 15:337–362
Colcher D, Hand PH, Wunderlich D, Nuti M, Teramoto YA, Kufe D, Schlom J (1984) Potential diagnostic and prognostic applications of monoclonal antibodies to human mammary carcinomas. In: GL Wright Jr (ed) Monoclonal antibodies and cancer. Dekker Inc, New York, pp 121–159
Cubilla AL, Woodruff JM (1977) Primary carcinoid tumour of the breast. A report of eight patients. Am J Surg Pathol 1:283–292
Erhardt K, Auer G, Fallenius A, Folin A, Forslund G, Silfverswärd C, Zetterberg A (1986) Mammary carcinoma: The prognostic significance of nuclear DNA analysis in histological sections. Am J Clin Oncol 9:117–125
Gatter KC, Mason DY (1982) The use of monoclonal antibodies for histopathologic diagnosis of human malignancy. Sem in Oncol 9:517–525
Garter KC, Abdulaziz A, Beverly P, Corvalan JRF, Ford C, Lane EB, Mota M, Nash JRG, Pulford K, Stein H, Taylor-Papadimitriou J, Woodhonse C, Mason DY (1982) Use of monoclonal antibodies for the histopathological diagnosis of human malignancy. J Clin Pathol 35:1253–1267
Grimelius L (1968) A silver nitrate stain for alpha-2 cells in human pancreatic islets. Acta Soc Med (Upsala) 73:243–270
Heyderman E, Steele K, Ormerod MG (1979) A new antigen on the epithelial membrane: its immnnoperoxidase localization in normal and preneoplastic tissue. J Clin Pathol 32:35–39
Nesland JM, Holm R, Gould VE (1986) Neurone specific enolase immunostaining in the diagnosis of breast carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation. Its usefulness and limitations. J Pathol 148:35–43
Roberts MM, Rubens RD, King RJB, Hawkins RA, Millis RR, Haywa L, Forrest APM (1978) Oestrogen receptors and the response to endocrine therapy in advanced breast cancer. Br J Cancer 38:431–436
Singhal AK, Singhal MC, Hakamori SI, Snyder Jr HW (1986) Evidence for enhanced antibody response against an adenocarcinoma associated glycolipid antigen in breast cancer using S. aureus Preotein A (SpA)-silica columns. Proc AACR 27:363
Sternberger LA (1986) Immunocytochemistry. 3 ed Wiley, New York
Taxy JB, Tischler AS, Insalaco SJ, Battifora H (1981) Carcinoid tumour of the breast: a variant of conventional breast cancer. Hum Pathol 12:170–179
Taylor-Papadimitriou J, Peterson JA, Arklie J, Burell J, Ceriani RL, Bodmer W (1982) Monoclonal antibodies for histopathologic diagnosis of human malignancy. Sem Oncol 9:517–525
Wallgren A, Silfverswärd C, Eklund G (1976) Prognostic factors in mammary carcinoma. Acta Radiol Ther Phys Biol 15:1–16
Westerberg H, Nordenskjöld B, Wrange Ö, Gustafsson J-Å, Humla S, Theve N-O, Silfverswärd C, Granberg P-O (1978) Effect of antiestrogen therapy on human mammary carcinomas with different estrogen receptor contents. Eur J Cancer 14:619–622
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ingelman-Sundberg, H., Wikström, B., Stormby, N. et al. Immunocytochemical reactivity of breast cancer tissue with antibodies to neuron-specific enolase and an adenocarcinoma-associated glycolipid antigen. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 415, 539–544 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00718647
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00718647