Early breast cancer patients have a higher incidence of recurrence/death from breast cancer if mammaglobin expression is detected in histologically negative axillary lymph nodes-mean 79 months follow-up

Abstract

The polypeptide, Mammoglobin (MGB), has been shown to have increased expression in breast cancer. Qualitative Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction was performed to establish whether MGB was expressed in 101 patients with early breast cancer. Tumour, axillary lymph nodes, peripheral venous blood and bone marrow samples were collected between 2000-2. Tissue was also analyzed histologically. These patients have mean follow-up of 79 months. The number of reccurrence/deaths specifically attributed to breast cancer was recorded.