癌胚抗原（CEA）在乳腺癌组织中的分布与雌激素受体关系的初步研究

本文分析了11例正常乳腺组织,17例乳腺良性肿瘤组织及96例乳腺癌组织中的CEA水平的分布,以及与乳腺癌组织中雌激素受体(ER)状态的关系。CEA水平≤5μg/mg蛋白为阴性,>此值为阳性。正常和良性乳腺肿瘤中CEA阳性率为17％,而乳腺癌组织中为52％,两组比较有统计学意义(P<0.01)。本文还表明,乳腺癌组织中CEA和ER水平之间无相关性。另外,在不同组织学类型的乳腺癌中,CEA阳性率差别也不显著。     

乳头溢液患者血清CA15-3测定的临床价值

目的:探讨乳头溢液患者血清CA15-3测定的临床价值。方法:采用CA15-3免疫化学检测法对64例乳头溢液患者(根据术后病理检测结果分为乳腺癌组、乳腺良性病变组)术前进行血清CA15-3测定,并与40例无乳头溢液的健康妇女(正常组)进行对照比较。结果:三组血清CA15-3含量分别为,乳腺癌组值为35.5±7.3U/ml,乳腺良性病变组值为26.2±3.9U/ml,正常组值为23.1±4.7U/ml,其中乳腺癌组和其余两个组比较差异有显著性意义(P<0.05),而未见乳腺良性病变组和正常组血清CA15-3含量差异有显著性(P>0.05);各组血清CA15-3阳性率比较发现,正常组(5.0%)、乳腺癌组(53.8%)和乳腺良性病变组(29.4%)三组差异均见有显著性意义(P<0.05)。结论:乳头溢液患者血清CA15-3的测定对于乳腺良性或者恶性病变的早期诊断有一定的临床价值。     

膜联蛋白A1的表达差异同乳腺癌发生发展相关性的初步研究

目的检测膜联蛋白A1(Annexin A1)在正常乳腺组织、乳腺良性增生、癌前病变及乳腺癌中的表达,以探讨其表达差异同乳腺癌发生发展的相关性。方法应用免疫组织化学SABC方法和蛋白印迹检测乳腺正常组织、良性病变(纤维腺瘤)、癌前病变(乳腺囊性增生症)、非浸润性导管癌、浸润性导管癌中Annexin A1的表达情况。结果Annexin A1的染色评分在20例癌旁正常乳腺组织为1.5328±0.45603;在20例良性病变为1.3250±0.56928;在20例癌前病变为0.9125±0.40324;在20例非浸润性导管癌为0.1550±0.20125;在40例浸润性导管癌为0.1038±0.12004。正常乳腺组织、乳腺囊性增生症、乳腺癌3组间差异显著(P<0.01)。乳腺囊性增生症、良性增生、乳腺癌3组间差异显著(P<0.01)。良性增生与正常组织之间,非浸润导管癌与浸润性导管癌之间无显著差异(P>0.05)。乳腺癌中Annexin A1表达水平与乳腺肿瘤大小及临床分期有关(P<0.05),与患者绝经与否、乳腺癌组织学分级、淋巴结转移与否等无显著差异(P>0.05)。蛋白印迹结果与上述结果一致。结论Annexin A1表达水平在乳腺癌及其癌前病变组织中有不同程度的下调,下调程度与乳腺癌发生的危险性及恶性度密切相关,提示Annexin A1可以作为乳腺癌发生趋势预测、早期诊断、评价预后具有重要应用价值的指标。     

643例乳腺肿块临床病理分析

目的 探讨乳腺肿块的临床病理特点,对乳腺疾病的诊治提供依据。方法 回顾性统计分析643例乳腺良恶性肿块的临床病理特点。结果 乳腺肿块良性者为多,占77.92％,多发生在40岁以下,以纤维腺瘤,乳腺增生病为主;恶性肿块占22.08％,40岁～60岁为高峰年龄,乳腺癌为主。良性肿块随年龄增长而减少,恶性肿块随年龄增长而增加,在各年龄组两组均有显著性差异(P<0.01)。乳腺肿块发生部位、伴疼痛、溢液等临床表现在良恶性上无差异(P>0.05)肿块与皮肤粘连,腋窝淋巴结肿大在两组有显著性差异(P<0.01)。结论 临床诊断乳腺肿块的良恶性时要综合分析,注意参考发病年龄;乳腺肿块切除活检确定治疗方案意义重大。并讨论常见乳腺三种疾病的病因、临床病理特点、乳腺增生病与乳腺癌的关系。     

超声弹性成像与数字乳腺X线对乳腺癌的诊断价值

目的比较超声弹性成像与数字乳腺X线对乳腺癌的诊断价值。方法选取2011年9月至2015年12月间就诊的240例乳腺疾病患者,其中经手术病理判断为恶性病灶者为恶性组(40例),良性病灶者为良性组(200例),全组患者均行超声弹性成像和数字乳腺X线检查。对两组患者的检查结果进行比较分析。结果相对于良性组,恶性组患者的数字乳腺X线多表现为乳腺腺体致密、微小钙化、边界缘毛刺和肿块影(P<0.05)。良性组患者的超声弹性成像评分多为2~3分,而恶性组多为4~5分,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。超声弹性成像和数字乳腺X线对乳腺癌诊断的敏感性分别为100.0%和99.5%,特异性分别为80.0%和100.0%,超声弹性成像诊断乳腺癌的特异性明显高于数字乳腺X线,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论超声弹性成像和数字乳腺X线对于乳腺癌均有一定的诊断价值,其中超声弹性成像诊断有更好的诊断特异性。     

P-gp、MRP和C-erbB-2在乳腺癌中的表达及意义

目的:研究P-gp、MRP和C-erbB-2在乳腺癌组织中的表达,探讨其与乳腺癌临床病理学特征的关系及意义。方法:用免疫组织化学S-P法检测52例乳腺癌患者肿瘤组织和40例乳腺良性病变旁正常组织中P-gp、MRP和C-erbB-2的表达水平。结果:(1)P-gp和C-erbB-2在乳腺癌组织中的表达率显著高于在乳腺正常组织中的表达(P<0·01),MRP在乳腺癌组织中的表达与在乳腺正常组织中的表达无显著差异(P>0·05)。(2)P-gp、MRP在不同病理类型的乳腺癌组织中的表达无显著差异(P>0·05),C-erbB-2在有淋巴结转移乳腺癌中的表达显著高于无淋巴结转移乳腺癌(P<0·01)。(3)P-gp的表达率在C-erbB-2阳性乳腺癌中的表达显著高于C-erbB-2阴性的乳腺癌(P<0·05)。结论:P-gp的过度表达可能参与了乳腺癌的原发耐药机制,C-erbB-2的水平高低可能对P-gp有调节作用。     

FSH在上皮性卵巢肿瘤中的表达及意义

目的:研究卵泡刺激素(FSH)在良性、交界性、恶性上皮性卵巢肿瘤的表达.方法:放射免疫法对62例上皮性卵巢癌、30例交界性上皮性卵巢肿瘤及51例良性上皮性卵巢肿瘤患者血清及卵巢肿瘤组织液中的FSH进行测定.结果:FSH在卵巢癌患者血清和肿瘤组织液的表达(32.86mIU/ml,23.04mIU/ml)存在显著差异(P<0.05);在交界性上皮性卵巢肿瘤患者血清和肿瘤组织液的表达(36.29mIU/ml,29.12mIU/ml)存在显著差异(P<0.05);在良性上皮性卵巢肿瘤患者血清和肿瘤组织液的浓度表达(20.97mIU/ml,4.96mIU/ml)存在显著差异(P<0.01),在良性与恶性之间、良性与交界性之间FSH浓度均存在显著差异,且随着恶性程度的增高,FSH的浓度也呈增高趋势;而在交界性、恶性上皮性肿瘤组织液和血清中的浓度表达无明显统计学意义(P>0.05 );I-II期与III-IV期卵巢癌患者血清和肿瘤组织液FSH表达无明显统计学意义(P>0.05).结论:卵巢肿瘤组织中FSH表达升高可能与卵巢癌的发生有一定的关系.     

磁共振扩散张量成像在乳腺癌诊断中的应用

目的 探讨磁共振扩散张量成像(DTI)对乳腺癌的诊断价值.方法 回顾性分析116例乳腺病变(包括乳腺癌54例,乳腺良性病变62例)患者的影像学资料,所有患者均行磁共振成像(MRI)常规扫描、增强扫描和DTI检查,比较病变部位与健侧腺体组织的DTI参数,并分析不同DTI参数对乳腺癌诊断的敏感度和特异度.结果乳腺癌组织的平均扩散程度(MD)、各向异性指数(FA)、λ1值及乳腺良性病变组织的MD、λ1值均明显低于自身健侧腺体组织,差异均有统计学意义(P﹤0.01);乳腺癌组织的MD、λ1值分别为(1.00±0.30)×10-3、(1.12±0.24)×10-3 mm2/s,均明显低于乳腺良性病变组织的(1.51±0.22)×10-3、(1.80±0.21)×10-3 mm2/s,差异均有统计学意义(P﹤0.01);MD、FA、λ1值对乳腺良、恶性病变诊断的ROC曲线下面积(AUC)分别为0.945、0.640、0.988;MD、FA、λ1值诊断乳腺良、恶性病变的敏感度和特异度分别为83.50％和91.20％,45.00％和80.00％,100％和95.80％.结论DTI对乳腺良、恶性病变的诊断鉴别有重要的意义,MD、λ1值对乳腺癌诊断敏感度、特异度较高.     

正常胃粘膜,胃良性病变粘膜及胃癌组织抑癌基因P16表达的研究

目的 对正常胃粘膜,胃良性病变粘膜及胃癌组织抑癌基因P16表达研究。方法 利用免疫组化技术研究180例不同胃粘膜组织P16蛋白的表达情况。结果 P16蛋白在不同胃粘膜组织中均有表达,P16蛋白在胃痛组织中表达水平远远低于基本正常胃粘膜及胃其它良性病变组织,P16蛋白阳性率基本正常胃粘膜与胃癌组织相比,差异有非常显著意义(P<0.01),胃良性病变组织与胃痛组织相比,差异有非常显著意义(P<0.01)。结论 胃癌的发生可能与P16蛋白的缺失有关。     

CESM病灶-背景实质信号增强比对乳腺疾病的诊断价值

目的:探讨对比增强能谱乳腺X线摄影(contrast-enhanced spectral mammography, CESM)病灶-背景实质信号增强比(LBSER)对乳腺良恶性病变的定量诊断价值。方法:回顾性分析我院临床可疑乳腺疾病112例患者临床资料,所有患者行手术病理或组织穿刺病理活检证实,且术前均行CESM检查。分析病灶的CESM影像学表现,并采用ROI定量分析方法,测量CESM图像病灶中央区及边缘区LBSER值,包括早期增强比及延迟增强比,比较乳腺恶性组与乳腺良性组间LBSER值的差异。采用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析CESM及LBSER对乳腺良恶性病变的诊断效能。结果:112例患者中共117个乳腺病变,其中恶性52个(恶性组),良性65个(良性组),早期恶性病灶中央区、边缘区LBSER值明显高于良性病灶组,具有显著统计学意义(P均<0.001),延迟期恶性病灶中央区、边缘区LBSER值高于良性病灶组,具有统计学意义(P均<0.05)。CESM诊断敏感度、特异度、准确率分别为85.54%、80.00%、82.91%。以恶性病变早期中央区LBSER值的95%可信区...     

Oestrogen (ER) and progestin receptors (PR) in mammary tissue of the female dog: different receptor profile in non-malignant and malignant states

Oestrogen (ER) and progestin receptors (PR) were measured in cytosols from histologically normal mammary tissues (n = 30), and in benign (n = 59) and malignant mammary lesions (n = 49) from female dogs. Receptor levels greater than or equal to 5 fmol mg-1 protein were considered positive. The presence of histologically normal mammary epithelium within specimens of primary tumours was noticed as a factor that may cause false-positive receptor results. Receptor levels in non-malignant tissues, and the receptor status of primary cancers did not vary significantly with regard to the phase of oestrous cycle (anoestrus/metoestrus) or the influence of exogenous progestins. ER- or PR-positivity was more frequent and levels of both receptors were higher in 'normal' tissues and in benign lesions than in primary cancers (P less than 0.001). ER and PR levels were higher in benign lesions of dogs also developing malignant mammary tumours than in benign lesions of dogs that did not (P less than 0.02 and P less than 0.05, respectively). Regional and distant cancer metastases were frequently receptor-negative. In some dogs heterogeneity of receptor status was found between different sites of the same cancer. These findings indicate that in non-malignant mammary tissues of adult female dogs expression of the genes encoding ER and PR is common. In malignant tumours this property may become lost, in particular in advanced states of disease.     

Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in non-affected and tumorous mammary tissue of female dogs

Summary Epidermal growth factor (EGFR), oestrogen (ER), and progestin (PR) receptor concentrations were determined by radioligand binding assay in non-affected mammary tissues (n = 13) and benign (n = 11) and primary/locally recurrent malignant proliferative mammary lesions (n = 45) and metastases (n = 19) in 65 female dogs.The number of specimens expressing EGFR was not significantly different among these tissues, but EGFR concentration was lower in metastases (P = 0.02) than in benign or primary/locally recurrent malignant lesions not mixed with non-affected mammary tissue. The presence of non-affected mammary tissue in primary cancer specimens was noticed as a factor that may influence results of receptor measurements. No relation was found between the expression of EGFR and that of ER or PR in non-affected or in tumorous mammary tissues.It was concluded that in the dog mammary gland EGFR expression is not associated with conditions of steroid receptor absence or biological agressiveness of neoplastic growth.     

Patterns of expression of keratin 19 as detected with monoclonal antibodies in human breast tissues and tumours

The monoclonal antibodies BA16 and BA17 directed to different epitopes on human keratin 19 have been tested for their reaction with normal breast and with benign and malignant breast lesions and associated tissue. In Western blots of gel-separated extracts of fibroadenomas, malignant tumours or normal mammary epithelial cells, the antibodies reacted with only one component of 40 kd molecular weight. Immunoperoxidase staining of sections of normal breast tissues showed all basal cells and a few luminal cells to be unstained by the antibodies. The distribution of the unstained (keratin 19-) luminal cells in the mammary tree is consistent with that of cells with the proliferative potential to give rise to the growth of terminal ductal lobular units (TDLU) seen at pregnancy. A total of 42 benign and 141 malignant lesions were stained with the antibodies, and a clear difference in staining pattern was seen between the benign and malignant tumours. All but 3 of the benign lesions showed a heterogeneous staining pattern with 5-50% unstained cells. In contrast, the cancer cells in 106/116 invasive primary tumours and in all 21 metastatic lesions examined showed a homogeneously positive reaction with antibodies BA16 and BA17: the malignant cells in 4 cases of Paget's disease also showed homogeneously positive staining with the antibody. In the malignant tumours, the observed homogeneity in expression of keratin 19 was confined to the malignant cells; tumour-associated normal tissue and benign proliferative lesions contained keratin 19-cells. Seven pure in situ tumours were examined and 5 showed the homogeneous pattern of staining characteristic of invasive tumours while 2 contained a high number of keratin 19-cells. A general model is presented to explain the presence of keratin 19-cells in benign proliferation and the dominance of keratin 19-cells in invasive carcinoma.     

SIgA IL-6和树突状细胞在口腔癌中的表达及相互作用

  目的  探讨分泌型免疫球蛋白A(secretory immunoglobulin A, SIgA)、白细胞介素-6(interleukin-6, IL-6)和树突状细胞(dendritic cell, DC)在口腔癌中的表达和相互作用。  方法  选取60例原发口腔癌患者为研究对象, 20例健康志愿者唾液为正常对照, 用ELISA法检测唾液中的SIgA、IL-6含量。用免疫组织化学法和流式细胞仪检测癌组织中CD1a、CD83、CD80及CD86的表达情况。经病理证实的20例良性肿瘤患者正常口腔黏膜组织为对照。  结果  口腔癌患者唾液SIgA的含量明显低于对照组, IL-6的含量明显高于对照组, 差异有统计学意义(P < 0.05), 二者之间呈负相关(r=-0.993, P < 0.05)。CD1a、CD83、CD80、CD86在癌组织中的表达低于对照组织(P < 0.05)。CD80、CD86的表达与组织学分级、病理类型无关(P > 0.05), 与临床分期及淋巴结转移呈负相关(P < 0.05)。  结论  唾液SIgA和IL-6含量可以作为口腔癌的辅助诊断指标, IL-6的升高可能是导致SIgA减少的原因之一。口腔癌组织中DC存在免疫缺陷, 对DC表面CD80、CD86的检测有助于评判预后。IL-6可能通过抑制SIgA的生成, 导致DC免疫耐受, 无法激活有效免疫应答, 从而促进口腔癌的发生发展。      

Distribution of the Mr 52,000 estrogen-regulated protein in benign breast diseases and other tissues by immunohistochemistry

A secreted glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 52,000 is induced by estrogen in breast cancer cells and has been purified to prepare monoclonal antibodies. The protein has been detected in some breast cancers but not in normal breast and uterus. In order to study its potential value as a marker, we have tested by immunohistochemistry frozen sections of several normal and malignant tissues and of benign mastopathies. Among different tissues tested, the Mr 52,000 protein was detected only in liver, sweat glands, and some sebaceous glands, and in malignant melanomas and some breast tumors. Other estrogen-responsive tissues (ovary, placenta, endometrium, etc.) gave negative results. Immunoradiometric assay of the Mr 52,000 protein in biological fluid revealed an elevated concentration in cyst fluid (0.5 to 7.4 micrograms/ml), pleural effusions of certain metastatic breast cancer, and sweat. By immunohistochemistry, the Mr 52,000 antigen was also detected in 42% of 129 benign mastopathies. Gynecomastia, fibrous disease, fibroadenoma, and adenosis were mainly negative, whereas ductal hyperplasia and cysts were positive. The Mr 52,000 protein was found mostly in proliferative ducts and in cysts but not in lobular hyperplasia and nonproliferative lesions without cyst. More Mr 52,000 protein was found in postmenopausal patients than in premenopausal patients. We conclude that the Mr 52,000 protein is a marker associated with mammary cysts and proliferative ducts. On the basis of the increased risk of breast cancer in proliferative mastopathies, we suggest that the Mr 52,000 protein is useful for predicting high-risk mastopathies acting as a marker associated with the proliferation of ductal tissue.     

乳腺癌组织中端粒酶活性的定量检测及其与临床病理的关系

背景与目的:端粒酶是一种在细胞永生化及癌症发生过程中起重要作用的核蛋白酶。最近关于乳腺癌中端粒酶活性与预后因素间的关系,因研究方法的差异而呈现出不一致的报道。本研究旨在建立一种可行的银染端粒酶定量检测法,以探讨乳腺癌中端粒酶活性与临床病理学预后因素间的关系。方法:运用银染端粒重复序列扩增法(SS-TRAP)检测了52例新鲜乳腺癌及其癌旁组织,32例乳腺良性病变和14例正常乳腺组织中端粒酶的活性表达,对结果予以定量并结合临床资料进行分析。结果:乳腺癌、癌旁组织、良性病变及正常乳腺组织中端粒酶阳性率分别为90.38%(47/52)、28.85%(15/52)、31.25%(10/32)、0(0/14)。端粒酶分别为36.91±15.35、8.27±4.37、14.10±5.28、0(TPG单位),单因素方差分析结果显示,乳腺癌组端粒酶活性水平明显高于其他3组(P值均<0.01)。Logistic回归分析结果表明,乳腺癌中端粒酶的表达与病理类型、分化程度明显相关(P=0.003及0.004),即随着肿瘤的进展,端粒酶活性亦增加。其中,浸润性非特殊癌端粒酶活性水平明显高于浸润性特殊癌(P<0.05);中、低分化癌端粒酶活性均高于高分化癌(P<0.05),中、低分化癌间无显著性差异(P>0.05)。端粒酶活性表达在患者病程、年龄、绝经状况间均无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论:与经典TRAP     

Changes in expression of human serine protease HtrA1, HtrA2 and HtrA3 genes in benign and malignant thyroid tumors

Human HtrA proteins are serine proteases involved in essential physiological processes. HtrA1 and HtrA3 function as tumor suppressors and inhibitors of the TGF-β signaling pathway. HtrA2 regulates mitochondrial homeostasis and plays a pivotal role in the induction of apoptosis. The aim of the study was to determine whether the HtrA proteins are involved in thyroid carcinogenesis. We used the immunoblotting technique to estimate protein levels of HtrA1, HtrA2, long and short variants of HtrA3 (HtrA3-L and HtrA3-S) and TGF-β1 in tissues of benign and malignant thyroid lesions, and control groups. We found that the levels of HtrA2 and HtrA3-S were higher in thyroid malignant tumors compared to normal tissues and benign tumors. The HtrA3-L level was increased in malignant tumor tissues compared to benign tumor tissues and control tissues from patients with benign lesions, and elevated in normal tissues from patients with thyroid carcinoma compared to normal tissues from patients with benign lesions. We also compared levels of HtrA proteins in follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and found that these types of carcinoma differed in the expression of HtrA3-S and HtrA1. These results indicate the implication of HtrA proteins in thyroid carcinogenesis suggest that HtrA3 variants may play different roles in cancer development, and that the increased HtrA3-L levels in thyroid tissue could be correlated with the development of malignant lesions. The TGF-β1 levels in tumor tissues were not significantly altered compared to control tissues.     

Plasminogen activators and steroid receptor concentrations in normal, benign, and malignant breast and ovarian tissues

The plasminogen activator (PA) activity and oestrogen and progestin receptor concentrations were determined in normal, benign and malignant tissues of human breast and ovary. The geometric mean of PA activity was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in malignant than in normal breast tissue specimens. PA activity was also higher in benign breast tumours than in normal tissue, but lower than in malignant tumours. The geometric means of PA activity in normal, benign and malignant ovarian tissue specimens differed even more clearly (analysis of variance: p less than 0.001). There was no significant correlation between PA activity and cytosol oestrogen or progestin receptor concentrations in either breast or ovarian cancer tissues. Our data confirm the finding that increased tissue PA activity is associated with human malignant breast tumours, compared with normal tissue and benign mammary lesions, and show that a similar situation prevails in human ovarian tissues. In addition, they show that the possible female sex steroid dependency of PA activity in human breast and ovarian malignancies cannot be demonstrated by cytosol receptor assays alone.     

Detection of antigens recognized by a novel monoclonal antibody in tissue and serum from patients with breast cancer

Monoclonal antibodies were produced in mice immunized with proteins released into tissue culture fluid of human breast cancer cells maintained in vitro. One monoclonal antibody (SP-2) identified a Mr 90,000 antigen which appears to be a proteolipid. In immunoperoxidase assays, SP-2 reacted with 81 of 90 specimens of human breast cancer. It also reacted with 12 of 23 cancers of nonbreast origin but was unreactive with all normal tissues tested. The Mr 90,000 antigen, purified by immunoaffinity chromatography using SP-2, was used in an indirect binding inhibition assay for the detection of antigen in human serum. With this assay, 35 of 69 patients with breast cancer and 11 of 37 patients with benign breast lesions showed serum antigen levels above 6 units/ml. Patients with nonbreast cancers also demonstrated elevated levels of antigen in 32% of cases. The SP-2 defined Mr 90,000 antigen appeared to be distinct from carcinoembryonic antigen and other monoclonal antibody-defined breast cancer antigens of similar molecular weight. SP-2 may prove useful as a serum and/or tissue marker in breast pathology.     

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase immunoreactivity in benign and malignant breast tissue

GGT 129, a polyclonal antibody directed against gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), was used to study GGT expression in formalin-fixedparaffin-embedded tissues from normal breast, 24 benign lesions, 27 in situcarcinomas or atypical hyperplasias, and 79 infiltrating mammary carcinomas.Epithelium of the ducts and ductules in normal breast tissue showedimmunoreactivity along the apical surface. There was a strong correlation (P< 0.01) between the histologic classification of the tissue and GGTexpression. All of the benign breast lesions stained positive for GGT. Amongin situ carcinomas and atypical hyperplasias, 5/27 (19%) werenegative for GGT while 22/27 were immunopositive. Infiltrating carcinomasshowed the greatest deviation from normal tissue with 23/79 (29%)negative for GGT. GGT expression in benign and malignant breast tissue wasnot correlated with the age of the patient, suggesting that menopausalstatus does not influence expression of GGT. Correlation of GGTimmunoreactivity with tubule formation, nuclear pleomorphism, mitoses,grade, size of tumor, lymph node status, and ER/PR status was performed for69 cases of infiltrating ductal adenocarcinoma. There were no statisticallysignificant relationships between the level of GGT immunoreactivity and anyof the parameters. The loss of GGT in some of the cases is evidence thatthis enzyme is not required for mammary tumor development or maintenance.However, as GGT is a component of the pathways that metabolize glutathioneand glutathione-conjugates, the difference in levels of the enzyme ininvasive breast cancers may be one explanation for the variation inchemotherapy response that has been observed in patients treated foradvanced mammary cancer.