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Selective Decrease of Serum Immunoglobulin G1 as Marker for Early Stages of Invasive Breast Cancer

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Abstract

The diagnostic value of the decrease in percentage of immunoglobulin G1 (%IgG1) in breast cancer was analyzed with special emphasis on early tumor stages. IgG1 and total IgG were preoperatively measured in the sera of a total of 801 individuals using a modified quantitative affinity chromatography. Group A consisted of 174 healthy individuals of both sexes, group B of 324 female patients with benign breast disease, and group C of 303 patients with invasive and non-invasive breast cancer. Within group C, 13 patients presented with intraductal carcinoma, and 22 patients with a pT1a-tumour (diameter less than 0.5 cm). The %IgG1 values were compared among groups A, B and C. In addition, correlations were sought between %IgG1 values of group C and tumor size, stage (UICC), histopathological grade and oestrogen (ER) and progesteron receptor (PR) expression. The mean value of %IgG1 in group A was 63.3 ± 0.5 s.e.m., in group B 57.75 ± 0.4 s.e.m. and in group C 52.37 ± 0.5 s.e.m. The differences of mean values were highly significant between all three groups. Sensitivity and specificity of %IgG1 to discriminate between group A and C were 75% and 87%, and between group B and C 62% and 63%, respectively. The significant decrease of %IgG1 in total serum IgG is able to distinguish patients with breast cancer of more than 5 mm in diameter from healthy controls and patients with benign breast diseases. Finally, calculated posterior probabilities revealed that within certain concentration limits %IgG1 may provide predictive information with high xprobabilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, Austria

    L. Kronberger, H. Rabl, M. Smola & H.J. Mischinger

  2. Department of Pathophysiology, University of Graz, Austria

    W. Steinschifter, P.M. Liebmann & K. Schauenstein

  3. Biomedica GmbH, Austria

    M. Weblacher

  4. Department of Medical Chemistry, Austria

    W. Estelberger

  5. Department of Clinical Pathology, Austria

    S.F. Lax

  6. Department of Biochemistry, University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    E. Schauenstein

Authors
  1. L. Kronberger
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  2. W. Steinschifter
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  3. M. Weblacher
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  4. W. Estelberger
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  5. P.M. Liebmann
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  6. H. Rabl
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  7. M. Smola
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  8. S.F. Lax
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  9. H.J. Mischinger
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  10. E. Schauenstein
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  11. K. Schauenstein
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Kronberger, L., Steinschifter, W., Weblacher, M. et al. Selective Decrease of Serum Immunoglobulin G1 as Marker for Early Stages of Invasive Breast Cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 64, 193–199 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006450205698

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006450205698

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