The potential role of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) in breast carcinogenesis and its correlation with 99mTc-(V)DMSA scintimammography.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Experimental data suggest a role for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in normal breast development and angiogenesis. This pilot study correlated CGRP with neoangiogenesis and the uptake of the tumor-seeking, proliferation-imaging radiotracer pentavalent technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinate (99mTc-(V)DMSA) in invasive and preinvesive breast lesions.

METHODS:

Among women evaluated preoperatively by 99mTc-(V)DMSA scintimammography, 29 invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs) were retrospectively studied: 15 isolated (Group I); 14 mixed with preinvasive pathologies (ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS] and/or epithelial hyperplasia [EH]; Group M). CGRP staining and neoangiogenesis were compared between invasive and DCIS/EH regions and were correlated. 99mTc-(V)DMSA displayed a diffusely increased uptake pattern corresponding to DCIS/EH; its lesion-to-background (L/B) ratio was compared between images acquired at 10 and 60 minutes and its retention ratio (RR) was correlated with CGRP.

RESULTS:

Seven of 15 group I and 10 of 14 group M patients (58.6% of the population) were CGRP-positive. CGRP was prevalent in the DCIS/EH component of mixed-lesions (even in the surrounding normal epithelium of nearly half), with declining intensity as advancing from DCIS/EH to high-grade IDC. Similarly, neoangiogenesis was considerably higher in DCIS/EH than in group I pure IDCs. A significant CGRP-neoangiogenesis correlation was verified only in group I. The diffuse 99mTc-(V)DMSA uptake exhibited significant, time-related L/B increase and a RR positively correlating with CGRP.

CONCLUSIONS:

CGRP expression and neoangiogenesis are intensified in mixed invasive-preinvasive breast lesions; an underlying relation may exist, requiring further investigation. CGRP also appears associated with 99mTc-(V)DMSA's propensity to depict preinvasive pathologies. This relationship could denote an additional proliferative role for CGRP.

• Authors: Vassilios Papantoniou, Spyridon Tsiouris, Maria Sotiropoulou, Pipitsa Valsamaki, John Koutsikos, Nikolaos Ptohis, Constantine Dimitrakakis, Evaggelia Sotiropoulou, Maria Melissinou, Lydia Nakopoulou, Aris Antsaklis, Cherry Zerva
• Journal: American journal of clinical oncology (Am J Clin Oncol) Vol. 30 Issue 4 Pg. 420-7 (Aug 2007) ISSN: 1537-453X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 17762443 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid
• Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide

Topics

• Breast Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Lobular (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Mammography (methods)
• Pilot Projects
• Prognosis
• Radionuclide Imaging
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Retrospective Studies
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid