New SCM (structuredness of the cytoplasmatic matrix)-based approach in breast cancer detection.

Abstract

We evaluate the possibility to use a combination of techniques such as lymphocyte stimulation and the Cell Scan Instrument for early detection of breast cancer. This method can detect differences in lymphocytes activation in the presence of absence of cancer. The Cell Scan is a static cytometer system able to examine cellular membrane polarization. We screened 88 women with benign breast lesions, 207 women with mammary carcinoma and 325 healthy blood donors. After lymphocytes separation, each blood sample was incubated with encephalitogenic factor (EF), phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and Breast Antigen (-BrAg) then SCM test was performed. Positivity was 50% among breast cancer patients, 34% among women affected by benign disease and 27% and 22% respectively among healthy female and male controls with an increase of the specific predictivity of the test during the period of ovulation. A significant difference (P < 0.0001) was observed between healthy donors and breast cancer patients. This results suggest that the Cell Scan test could be useful to investigate patient's immunogenicity to molecules known to be involved in tumor development and progression, such as oncogene or suppressor gene products, which could be appropriate targets for immune-derived therapeutic approaches.