[Circulating proteinic biomarkers and breast cancer]

Gynecol Obstet Fertil. 2006 Jul-Aug;34(7-8):638-46. doi: 10.1016/j.gyobfe.2006.06.011. Epub 2006 Jul 28.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Circulating proteinic biomarkers are secreted by tumor cells or by their environmental cells and they have a variable specificity. In case of breast cancer, carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) was for a long time the only circulating biomarker used. Nowadays, the most useful biomarkers measure circulating levels of fragments of MUC1-polymorphic epithelial mucin (MUC1-PEM): cancer antigen (CA) 15.3, mucin-like carcinoma-associated antigen (MCA), CA 27-29, CA 549... They are useful for general disease follow-up. Other circulating markers belonging to keratins (tissue polypeptide antigen, TPA, TPS or Cyfra 21.1) are correlated with proliferative activity of breast tumors. More recently, the measure of the c-erb B2 circulating part (extra cellular domain, ECD) was proposed as a prognostic biomarker for breast tumors with c-erb B2 overexpression. Moreover, the determination of urinary level of trefoil factor1 (PS2-TFF1) might be useful for the follow-up of hormonodependent breast cancers. The present review describes the clinical interest of these different circulating biomarkers in case of breast cancer, emphasizing their biological characteristics.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Neoplasm / blood
  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / blood
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Breast Neoplasms / blood*
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / blood
  • Female
  • Glycoproteins / blood
  • Humans
  • Keratins / blood
  • Mucin-1 / blood
  • Mucins / blood
  • Neoplasm Proteins / blood*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / blood
  • Trefoil Factor-1
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / urine

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CA 27-29 antigen
  • CA549 glycoprotein, human
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen
  • Glycoproteins
  • MUC1 protein, human
  • Mucin-1
  • Mucins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • TFF1 protein, human
  • Trefoil Factor-1
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • mucinous carcinoma-associated antigen
  • Keratins
  • Receptor, ErbB-2