The correlation between micrometastasis and hMAM in the peripheral blood of the patients with breast cancer

Objective To study the correlation between micrometastasis and human manmmaglobin mRNA(hMAM-mRNA)in tlle peripheral blood of the patients with breast cancer.Methods Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 92 patients with breast carcinoma,and 20 patients were with benign breast diseases,and 10 patients with other system malignant tumor,and 10 normal healthy volunteers.To identify breast carcinoma cells in periphersl blood,hMAM-mRNA Was amplified from total RNA extracted from whole blood by nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(Nested-RT-PCR).The expression of hMAM-mRNA wag contracted to MCF-7 breast cancer cell.Results The hMAM-mRNA wag only detectable in the blood from breast disease patients.Among 92 breast carcinoma patients,40 were nested-RT-PCR positive for hMAM-mRNA.The positive rate was 43.5%(40/92).The expression of hMAM-mRNA in pe-ripheral blood was not correlated with patient's estrogen or pregnant receptor;menstruation state;primarytumour size.The expression of hMAM-mRNA in peripheral blood wag correlated with patient's age:the state of c-erbB-2 and carcino embryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 15-3.Conclusion The hMAM-mRNA in peripheral blood may be indicator of the micmmetastasis of breast cancer. Key words: Breast cancer; Micrometastatie; Nested-RT PCR; Humam mamaglobin