Bone marrow micrometastases detected by RT-PCR for mammaglobin can be an alternative prognostic factor of breast cancer

Purpose. To evaluate a new prognostic factor of breast cancer, bone marrow micrometastases which was detected by RT-PCR for mammaglobin, a sensitive molecular marker of breast cancer, was examined. Materials and methods. One hundred and eleven samples from stage I–III breast cancer patients were examined. Bone marrow micrometastases and clinicopathological parameters, which were age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis and status of the estrogen receptor, were evaluated for the prognostic factor by statistical analysis. Results. Median follow-up time was 21.1 months. Thirty-three (29.7%) out of 111 samples were RT-PCR positive. Eight cases (24.2%) in this group showed recurrent lesions in the distant organs. Whereas six (7.7%) out of 78 RT-PCR negative patients had distant recurrences. In the premenoposal patients, and in the patients with axillary lymph node metastases, RT-PCR positive cases showed significantly higher distant recurrent rate. Bone marrow micrometastases, axillary nodal status, and estrogen receptor were independent prognostic factors for breast cancer by both univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusions. Bone marrow micrometastases detected by RT-PCR for mammaglobin can be a useful predictive marker for early distant recurrence of breast cancer.