Identification of superior markers for the RT-PCR detection of breast cancer micrometastases in sentinel lymph nodes / by Christopher Justus Min.
| Author/creator | Min, Christopher Justus author. |
| Other author | Verbanac, Kathryn M., degree supervisor. |
| Other author | Tafra, Lorraine, degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Biology. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 1997. |
| Description | vii, 48 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | The single most significant prognostic factor in breast cancer is the presence or absence of metastasis in the axillary lymph nodes. The current method of breast cancer staging analysis dictates a dissection of 20-30 axillary lymph nodes, which are subjected to standard pathological analysis. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which the first lymph node which drains a tumor (sentinel lymph node, SLN) is identified and removed using a blue dye and a radiotracer. The SLN is thus an excellent focused target specimen for comprehensive analysis, in contrast to the limited analysis performed with a complete node dissection. The advent of SLNB allows the practical application of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of disease. Employment of PCR detection to breast cancer has been hampered by the lack of a suitable molecular marker which is expressed in all breast cancer patients and not expressed in any normal tissues. The goal of this study was to develop a multi-marker panel for the RT-PCR analysis of breast cancer SLN. It is hypothesized that the use of multiple markers will overcome the limited expression of a specific marker within the overall population of breast cancer patients. Seven markers were initially selected for evaluation, representing proteins associated with neoplasia, breast tissue, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The markers were screened for expression in seven human breast cancer cell lines and in normal lymph nodes from non-cancer patients. Two proteins, mammaglobin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), were found superior for the analysis of sentinel nodes; transcripts were detected in 100% and 71% of breast cancer cell lines, respectively, and were absent from normal lymph nodes. Based on the ability of these markers to distinguish malignant and normal lymph node tissue, these two markers will be the first members of a marker panel for the PCR evaluation of SLN in a multi-center trial of breast cancer patients. Correlation of PCR SEN results with long-term follow up will determine the clinical relevance of this assay. This initial data supports the long term objective of using PCR detection of micrometastatic disease to allow clinicians to better tailor therapy for their patients. |
| General note | Submitted to the faculty of the Department of Biology. |
| General note | Advisor: Kathryn M. Verbanac |
| General note | Advisor: Lorraine Tafra |
| Dissertation note | M.S. East Carolina University 1997 (i.e. 1998) |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-48). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
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