Reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of the maspin gene in the detection of bone marrow breast carcinoma cell contamination

BACKGROUND Maspin is a molecular marker used for the detection of contaminating breast carcinoma (BC) cells in peripheral blood and lymph nodes. However, its specificity has been questioned recently. The objective of this study was to verify the specificity of this marker and to determine the incide...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer 2001-10, Vol.92 (8), p.2030-2035
Main Authors: Ballestrero, Alberto, Coviello, Domenico A., Garuti, Anna, Nencioni, Alessio, Famà, Anna, Rocco, Ilaria, Bertorelli, Roberto, Ferrando, Fabio, Gonella, Roberta, Patrone, Franco
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers, Tumor
bone marrow
Bone Marrow - metabolism
Bone Marrow - pathology
Bone Marrow Neoplasms - genetics
Bone Marrow Neoplasms - secondary
breast carcinoma
Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy
Breast Neoplasms - genetics
Breast Neoplasms - pathology
Genes, Tumor Suppressor
Genital system. Mammary gland
high‐dose chemotherapy
Humans
Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects)
isolated tumor cells
Medical sciences
micrometastases
Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques
Proteins - genetics
Proteins - metabolism
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Messenger - analysis
Sensitivity and Specificity
Serpins - genetics
Serpins - metabolism
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Summary:BACKGROUND Maspin is a molecular marker used for the detection of contaminating breast carcinoma (BC) cells in peripheral blood and lymph nodes. However, its specificity has been questioned recently. The objective of this study was to verify the specificity of this marker and to determine the incidence of positive bone marrow results in patients with BC who are eligible for high‐dose chemotherapy (HDT) both in early and advanced disease stages and before and after treatment. METHODS Bone marrow specimens from 41 patients with BC as well as from 35 normal volunteers and 17 patients with hematologic tumors were examined for maspin transcript expression by a modified nested reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction technique. RESULTS Maspin transcript was found in all normal and neoplastic breast tissues and in none of the 35 normal bone marrow specimens (specificity, 100%; 95% confidence interval, 90–100%). However, the transcript was found in 40% of the bone marrow samples from patients with hematologic malignancies. Thus, this marker appears very specific for discriminating between normal controls and patients with BC, but it cannot be considered disease specific. Among patients with BC, bone marrow was positive for the maspin transcript in 32% of patients with early‐stage disease and in 75% of patients with metastatic disease before chemotherapy. After treatment, in 75% of patients with early‐stage disease and in 50% of patients with metastatic disease, the bone marrow results became maspin negative. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of the current data, although it is not disease specific, maspin is a reliable marker for detecting bone marrow molecular disease in patients with BC and should be considered for prospective studies as a prognostic indicator and as an assay for monitoring residual disease. Cancer 2001;92:2030–5. © 2001 American Cancer Society. Maspin reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction assay proved to be a sensitive assay for detecting bone marrow contamination by breast carcinoma cells in the current study, and it produced results comparable to the results produced by immunocytochemical methods directed at other epithelial markers. Taking into consideration that the assay is not disease specific, because it also produced positive results in patients with hematologic malignancies, it appears to be a suitable marker for monitoring the bone marrow status of patients both before and after chemotherapy.
ISSN:0008-543X
1097-0142
DOI:10.1002/1097-0142(20011015)92:8<2030::AID-CNCR1541>3.0.CO;2-G