Summary
The value of immunocytochemical methods for detecting seven tumour-associated antigens was assessed in ten cases of bone metastases from carcinoma of the breast. In order to obtain the optimal preservation of both their structure and antigenicity, the biopsies were fixed-decalcified in Bouin's fluid by means of an apparatus based on ion-exchange resins recently developed in this laboratory. Of the different tumour markers, milk fat globule membrane antigen and carcino-embryonic antigen were found to be present in the majority of the cases of neoplastic cells. These two markers appear, therefore, to be the most useful for the immunocytochemical identification of metastatic neoplastic cells in the bone marrow originating from carcinoma of the breast.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bussolati, G. (1978) A fixation-decalcification procedure for bone biopsies.Histopathology 2, 329–34.
Bussolati, G., Pich, A. &Alfani, V. (1975) Immunofluorescence detection of casein in human mammary dysplastic and neoplastic tissue.Virchows Arch. A. Path. Anat. Histol. 365, 15–21.
Bussolati, G., Ghiringhello, B., Di Carlo, F., Aimone, V. &Voglino, G. F. (1977) Lactalbumin synthesis in breast-cancer tissue.Lancet 2, 352.
Ceriani, R. L., Thompson, K., Peterson, J. A. &Abraham, S. (1977) Surface differentiation antigens of human mammary epithelial cells carried on human milk fat globule.Proc. natn. Acad. Sci., U.S.A. 74, 582–6.
Cove, D. H., Smith, S. C. H., Walker, R. &Howell, A. (1979) The synthesis of the glycoprotein hormone α subunit by human breast carcinomas.Eur. J. Cancer 15, 693–702.
Eusebi, V., Betts, C. M. &Bussolati, G. (1979) Tubular Carcinoma: a variant of secretory breast carcinoma.Histopathology 3, 407–19.
Graham, R. C. &Karnovsky, M. J. (1966) The early stages of absorption of injected horseradish peroxidase in the proximal tubules of mouse kidney: ultrastructural cytochemistry by a new technique.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 14, 291–302.
Gullino, P. M. (1977) Natural history of breast cancer.Cancer 39, 2697–703.
Heyderman, E. (1979) Immunoperoxidase technique in histopathology: application, methods and controls.J. clin. Path. 32, 971–78.
Heyderman, E., Steele, K. &Omerod, M. G. (1979) A new antigen on the epithelial membrane: its immunoperoxidase localization in normal and neoplastic tissue.J. Clin. Path. 32, 35–9.
Horne, C. H. W., Reid, I. N. &Milne, G. D. (1976) Prognostic significance of inappropriate production of pregnancy proteins by breast cancers.Lancet 2, 279–82.
Ingle, J. N., Tormey, D. C. &Tan, H. K. (1978) The bone marrow examination in breast cancer.Cancer 41, 670–4.
Kihm, U. (1973) Immunohistochemische Darstellung der Casein- und beta-Lactoglobulin-synthese in der Rindermilchdruse.Histocheme 35, 273–81.
Koldovsky, P. (1974) Carcinoembryonic antigens. Recent results.Cancer Res. 45, 1–70.
Landys, K. &Stenram, U. (1975) Bone metastases in stage-I breast cancer.Lancet 2, 232.
Pich, A., Bussolati, G. &Carbonara, A. (1976) Immunocytochemical detection of casein-like proteins in the human tissues.J. Histochem Cytochem. 24, 940–7.
Ridell, B. &Landys, K. (1979) Incidence and histopathology of metastases of mammary carcinoma in biopsies from the posterior iliac crest.Cancer 44, 1782–8.
Shousha, S., Lyssiotis, T., Godfrey, V. M. &Scheuer, P. J. (1979) Carcinoembryonic antigen in breast cancer tissue: a useful prognostic indicator.Br. med. J. 1, 777–9.
Sternberger, L. A., Hardy, P. H., Jr, Cuculis, J. J. &Meyer, H. G. (1970) The unlabelled antibody enzyme method of immunohistochemistry: preparation and properties of soluble antigen-antibody complex (horseradish peroxidase anti-horseradish peroxidase) and its use in identification of spirochaets.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18, 315–33.
Wahren, B., Lidbrink, E., Wallgren, A., Eneroth, P. &Zajicek, J. (1978) Carcinoembryonic antigen and other tumor markers in tissue and serum or plasma of patients with primary mammary carcinoma.Cancer 42, 1870–78.
Walker, R. A. (1978) Significance of α-subunit HCG demonstrated in breast carcinomas by the immunoperoxidase technique.J. clin. Path. 31, 245–9.
Walker, R. A. (1979) The demonstration of α-lactalbumin in human breast carcinomas.J. Path. 129, 37–42.
Young, S. &Nelstrop, A. E. (1970) The detection by immunofluorescence of casein in rat mammary glands.Br. J. exp. Path. 51, 28–33.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gugliotta, P., Botta, G. & Bussolati, G. Immunocytochemical detection of tumour markers in bone metastases from carcinoma of the breast. Histochem J 13, 953–959 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01002635
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01002635