Detection of mammaglogin A in blood from breast cancer patients, before and after treatment, using a one-tube nested PCR protocol. Association with the absence of tumor estrogen receptors

ObjectiveA one-tube nested RT-PCR protocol was set up and used to detect mammaglobin A (MGA) expression in blood samples from breast cancer patients. The correlation of MGA detection with prognostic factors was analyzed.Design and methodsTotal RNA from nucleated blood cells was extracted from 65 breast cancer patients (before surgery and after the treatments) and 18 healthy subjects and used to detect MGA expression by a modified nested RT-PCR.ResultsMGA expression was detected in 38.4% of patients before surgery, and in 50% and 36.8% of post-treatment samples from patients that expressed MGA or were MGA negative before surgery, respectively. MGA detection was associated with the absence of tumor estrogen receptors (p = 0.004).ConclusionsMGA detection by the modified nested RT-PCR is a specific marker for circulating tumor cells in patients with breast carcinoma and a negative prognostic factor for the disease.

► A one-tube nested RT-PCR protocol was set up to analyze mammaglobin A expression.
► Mammaglobin A detection is a specific marker for circulating breast tumor cells.
► Mammaglobin A detection was associated with the absence of tumor estrogen receptors.
► Mammaglobin A detection in blood is a negative prognostic factor for breast cancer.