Biomarker Predicts Breast Cancer Risk in Asymptomatic Women
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 18 Apr 2016 |
|
In healthy breast tissue, the percentage of cells expressing molecular marker Ki67 (green) and p27 (red) was low (Photo courtesy of Sung Jin Huh, Harvard Medical School).
A biomarker has been identified that may allow clinicians to predict the risk of an asymptomatic woman eventually developing breast cancer.
To identify this disease indicator, investigators at Harvard Medical School studied the association between breast cancer risk and the frequency of mammary epithelial cells expressing the proteins p27 (Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B), estrogen receptor (ER), and Ki67 (Marker of proliferation Ki-67) in normal breast tissue from 302 women (69 breast cancer cases, 233 controls) who had been initially diagnosed with benign breast disease.
Immunofluorescence assays for p27, ER, and Ki67 were performed on tissue microarrays constructed from benign biopsies containing normal mammary epithelium and scored by computational image analysis.
Results revealed that the frequency of Ki67+ cells was positively associated with breast cancer risk among premenopausal women. Conversely, the frequency of ER+ or p27+ cells was inversely, but not significantly, associated with subsequent breast cancer risk. Notably, high Ki67+/low p27+ and high Ki67+/low ER+ cell frequencies were significantly associated with a five-fold higher risk of breast cancer compared with low Ki67+/low p27+ and low Ki67+/low ER+ cell frequencies, respectively, among premenopausal women.
This data suggests that the fraction of actively cycling cells in normal breast tissue may represent a marker for breast cancer risk assessment, which may therefore impact the frequency of screening procedures in at-risk women.
"Currently, we are not able to do a very good job at distinguishing women at high and low risk of breast cancer," said senior author Dr. Rulla Tamimi, associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard Medical School. "By identifying women at high risk of breast cancer, we can better develop individualized screening and also target risk reducing strategies."
The study was published in the April 1, 2016, issue of the journal Cancer Research.
Related Links:
Harvard Medical School
 assay.jpg)
To identify this disease indicator, investigators at Harvard Medical School studied the association between breast cancer risk and the frequency of mammary epithelial cells expressing the proteins p27 (Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B), estrogen receptor (ER), and Ki67 (Marker of proliferation Ki-67) in normal breast tissue from 302 women (69 breast cancer cases, 233 controls) who had been initially diagnosed with benign breast disease.
Immunofluorescence assays for p27, ER, and Ki67 were performed on tissue microarrays constructed from benign biopsies containing normal mammary epithelium and scored by computational image analysis.
Results revealed that the frequency of Ki67+ cells was positively associated with breast cancer risk among premenopausal women. Conversely, the frequency of ER+ or p27+ cells was inversely, but not significantly, associated with subsequent breast cancer risk. Notably, high Ki67+/low p27+ and high Ki67+/low ER+ cell frequencies were significantly associated with a five-fold higher risk of breast cancer compared with low Ki67+/low p27+ and low Ki67+/low ER+ cell frequencies, respectively, among premenopausal women.
This data suggests that the fraction of actively cycling cells in normal breast tissue may represent a marker for breast cancer risk assessment, which may therefore impact the frequency of screening procedures in at-risk women.
"Currently, we are not able to do a very good job at distinguishing women at high and low risk of breast cancer," said senior author Dr. Rulla Tamimi, associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard Medical School. "By identifying women at high risk of breast cancer, we can better develop individualized screening and also target risk reducing strategies."
The study was published in the April 1, 2016, issue of the journal Cancer Research.
Related Links:
Harvard Medical School
Gold Member
Ketosis and DKA Test
D-3-Hydroxybutyrate (Ranbut) Assay
Hemodynamic System Monitor
OptoMonitor
Laboratory Software
ArtelWare
Latest Pathology News
- Genetics and AI Improve Diagnosis of Aortic Stenosis
- AI Tool Simultaneously Identifies Genetic Mutations and Disease Type
- Rapid Low-Cost Tests Can Prevent Child Deaths from Contaminated Medicinal Syrups
- Tumor Signals in Saliva and Blood Enable Non-Invasive Monitoring of Head and Neck Cancer
- Common Health Issues Can Influence New Blood Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease
- Blood Test Formula Identifies Chronic Liver Disease Patients with Higher Cancer Risk
- Tunable Cell-Sorting Device Holds Potential for Multiple Biomedical Applications
- AI Tool Outperforms Doctors in Spotting Blood Cell Abnormalities
- AI Tool Rapidly Analyzes Complex Cancer Images for Personalized Treatment
- Diagnostic Technology Performs Rapid Biofluid Analysis Using Single Droplet
- Novel Technology Tracks Hidden Cancer Cells Faster
- AI Tool Improves Breast Cancer Detection
- AI Tool Predicts Treatment Success in Rectal Cancer Patients
- Blood Test and Sputum Analysis Predict Acute COPD Exacerbation
- AI Tool to Transform Skin Cancer Detection with Near-Perfect Accuracy
- Unique Immune Signatures Distinguish Rare Autoimmune Condition from Multiple Sclerosis
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Compact Raman Imaging System Detects Subtle Tumor Signals
Accurate cancer diagnosis often depends on labor-intensive tissue staining and expert pathological review, which can delay results and limit access to rapid screening. These conventional methods also make... Read more
Noninvasive Blood-Glucose Monitoring to Replace Finger Pricks for Diabetics
People with diabetes often need to measure their blood glucose multiple times a day, most commonly through finger-prick blood tests or implanted sensors. These methods can be painful, inconvenient, and... Read more
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
Urine Test Could Reveal Real Age and Life Span
Chronological age does not always reflect how quickly the body is aging, as biological age is shaped by genetics, stress, sleep, nutrition, and lifestyle factors such as smoking. A higher biological age... Read more
Genomic Test Identifies African Americans at Risk for Early Prostate Cancer Recurrence
Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men and a leading cause of cancer-related death, particularly in the United States. African American men face a disproportionately higher... Read more
Hematology
view channel
MRD Tests Could Predict Survival in Leukemia Patients
Acute myeloid leukemia is an aggressive blood cancer that disrupts normal blood cell production and often relapses even after intensive treatment. Clinicians currently lack early, reliable markers to predict... Read more
Platelet Activity Blood Test in Middle Age Could Identify Early Alzheimer’s Risk
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease remains one of the biggest unmet needs in neurology, particularly because the biological changes underlying the disorder begin decades before memory symptoms appear.... Read more
Microvesicles Measurement Could Detect Vascular Injury in Sickle Cell Disease Patients
Assessing disease severity in sickle cell disease (SCD) remains challenging, especially when trying to predict hemolysis, vascular injury, and risk of complications such as vaso-occlusive crises.... Read more
ADLM’s New Coagulation Testing Guidance to Improve Care for Patients on Blood Thinners
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are one of the most common types of blood thinners. Patients take them to prevent a host of complications that could arise from blood clotting, including stroke, deep... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Ultrasensitive Liquid Biopsy Demonstrates Efficacy in Predicting Immunotherapy Response
Immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment, but only a small proportion of patients experience lasting benefit, with response rates often remaining between 10% and 20%. Clinicians currently lack reliable... Read more
Blood Test Could Identify Colon Cancer Patients to Benefit from NSAIDs
Colon cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related illness, with many patients facing relapse even after surgery and chemotherapy. Up to 40% of people with stage III disease experience recurrence, highlighting... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
New UTI Diagnosis Method Delivers Antibiotic Resistance Results 24 Hours Earlier
Urinary tract infections affect around 152 million people every year, making them one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. In routine medical practice, diagnosis often relies on rapid urine... Read more
Breakthroughs in Microbial Analysis to Enhance Disease Prediction
Microorganisms shape human health, ecosystems, and the planet’s climate, yet identifying them and understanding how they are related remains a major scientific challenge. Even with modern DNA sequencing,... Read more
Technology
view channel
Pioneering Blood Test Detects Lung Cancer Using Infrared Imaging
Detecting cancer early and tracking how it responds to treatment remains a major challenge, particularly when cancer cells are present in extremely low numbers in the bloodstream. Circulating tumor cells... Read more
AI Predicts Colorectal Cancer Survival Using Clinical and Molecular Features
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common and deadly cancers worldwide, and accurately predicting patient survival remains a major clinical challenge. Traditional prognostic tools often rely on either... Read more
Industry
view channel
BD and Penn Institute Collaborate to Advance Immunotherapy through Flow Cytometry
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H, Philadelphia, PA, USA) at the University... Read more
