The utilization of [3H] sugars by non-malignant and malignant human breast

[18F]fluorodeoxyglucose scintigraphy in diagnosis and follow up of treatment in advanced breast cancer

Seventeen patients with advanced breast cancer were imaged with a specially collimated gamma camera to study tumor uptake of 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) before and during therapy. Fourteen patients (82%) showed increased FDG accumulation in metastatic tumors, 6/8 (75%) of axillary, supra or infraclavicular metastatic lymph nodes were detectable. In one of these cases, FDG imaging was the first method to identify axillary metastasis causing nerve compression. Also, pulmonary and liver metastases could be imaged with FDG; both in two patients. The intra individual variability in uptake was considerable in bone metastases, and some lesions remained FDG negative: 99mTc-DPD was superior in detecting bone disease. Bone metastases of the osteolytic or mixed type were better visualized than sclerotic ones. Ten patients were reimaged later to assess the effect of therapy on FDG uptake. Increased uptake was associated with clinical progression, while unchanged or diminished uptake did not predict the course of disease as reliably. This study indicates that FDG can be used to image breast cancer metastases. FDG may be valuable in monitoring treatment response, but positron emission tomography (PET) would probably be more appropriate than planar imaging for this purpose.

Analysis of glycoproteins released from benign and malignant human breast: changes in size and fucosylation with malignancy

Radiolabelled glycoproteins released into media from benign and malignant human breast tissue after 48 h organ culture have been analysed using SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography. Major differences were identified between benign and malignant tissues: (i) a considerably higher incidence of glycoproteins in the molecular weight range 210-280 kDa detected from carcinomas than benign samples, with incidence being greater in poorly differentiated tumours; (ii) fucosylation of these glycoproteins released from carcinomas but not benign breast; (iii) heterogeneity, particularly of fucosylation, between the carcinomas but consistency amongst benign breast. A glycoprotein of MW 230 kDa was of particular interest since it was not detected from any benign samples but was present in 11 of 17 carcinomas, when it was almost always fucosylated. This could prove to be a useful tumour marker.