Stanniocalcin-1: a novel molecular blood and bone marrow marker for human breast cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Very few tumor molecular markers have been identified that are highly specific for breast cancer cells when applied to blood and bone marrow (BM). Stanniocalcin (STC)-1 is a recently discovered human gene that has been implicated in cellular calcium homeostasis and resistance to hypoxia and is located on chromosome 8p in a region associated with amplification in breast cancer. We investigated STC-1 mRNA as a potential molecular marker for detection of breast cancer metastasis in the blood and BM.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

Using the reverse transcriptase-PCR and electrochemiluminescence detection assay to assess for STC-1 mRNA expression, we evaluated 7 breast cancer cell lines, 34 primary breast cancer tumors, and the BM of 71 patients and the blood of 58 patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage 0-IV breast cancer.

RESULTS:

In this cohort of primarily early-stage breast cancer patients, the detection of STC-1 mRNA in the BM and blood significantly correlated with multiple histopathological prognostic factors, including primary tumor size, number of positive lymph nodes, T stage, M stage, N stage, and overall American Joint Committee on Cancer stage. STC-1 mRNA was not detected in the blood or BM of volunteers without cancer. In situ hybridization studies with a STC-1 antisense RNA probe also confirmed STC-1 mRNA expression in breast cancer cell lines and primary breast tumors.

CONCLUSIONS:

STC-1 is proposed as a novel, specific, and clinically useful molecular marker for detecting occult breast cancer cells in the BM and blood.

• Authors: Robert A Wascher, Kelly T Huynh, Armando E Giuliano, Nora M Hansen, Frederick R Singer, David Elashoff, Dave S B Hoon
• Journal: Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (Clin Cancer Res) Vol. 9 Issue 4 Pg. 1427-35 (Apr 2003) ISSN: 1078-0432 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12684415 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Glycoproteins
• Oligonucleotides, Antisense
• RNA, Messenger
• RNA
• teleocalcin
• Calcium

Topics

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Bone Marrow Cells (metabolism)
• Breast Neoplasms (blood, metabolism)
• Calcium (metabolism)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Glycoproteins (biosynthesis, genetics, physiology)
• Homeostasis
• Humans
• In Situ Hybridization
• Luminescent Measurements
• Oligonucleotides, Antisense (metabolism)
• RNA (metabolism)
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction