Increased Level of Circulating Adhesion Molecules in the Sera of Breast Cancer Patients With Distant Metastases.

Matsuura, Nami; Narita, Tatsuhiko; Mitsuoka, Chikako; Kimura, Naoko; Kannagi, Reiji; Imai, Tsuneo; Funahashi, Hiroomi; Takagi, Hiroshi

The adhesion of circulating cancer cells to the vascular endothelium is an important step in the hematogenous metastasis of cancer. E-selectin expressed on endothelial cells and carbohydrate ligands expressed on cancer cells mediate this adhesion. We investigated the clinical significance of such cell adhesion molecules in breast cancer. The cytosol concentration of sialyl Lewisx was found more elevated in cancerous tissue than that in adjacent non-cancerous tissue. In the serum, sialyl Lewisx and soluble E-selectin were seen elevated in patients with advanced and recurrent breast cancer, especially in those with distant metastases. From the above, we have concluded that sialyl Lewisx and soluble E-selectin could be used as tumor markers with a close relationship to the metastasis of breast cancer.

Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1997, Vol 27, Issue 3, p135

0368-2811

Academic Journal

10.1093/jjco/27.3.135