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Detection of polymorphic epithelial mucins in the serum of systemic breast cancer patients using the monoclonal antibody, NCRC-11

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Summary

Serum from patients with systemic breast cancer was found to contain elevated levels of polymorphic epithelial mucin (PEM) as detected using an immunoradiometric assay employing the monoclonal antibody NCRC-11. PEM was partially purified from pooled sera from these patients and the complex, polymorphic, high-molecular-mass (>400 kDa) mucin was identified by sodium dodecylsulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blotting and immunostaining with the NCRC-11 antibody. Serial serum samples from 16 patients with metastatic breast cancer were assayed for circulating PEM defined by the monoclonal antibody NCRC-11. The clinical course of disease in these patients was assessed independently as progressive, static or responsive. Increasing NCRC-11 antigen levels correlated with disease progression in 6/7 patients, and decreasing antigen levels correlated with an objective response to treatment in 5/6 patients. Measurement of NCRC-11-defined PEM antigen in patients undergoing therapy for metastatic breast cancer showed an overall accuracy of 75%.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Research Campaign Laboratories, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, University Park, Nottingham, UK

    M. R. Price, A. J. Clarke, C. O'Sullivan & R. W. Baldwin

  2. Professorial Surgical Unit, City Hospital, NG5 1PB, Nottingham, UK

    J. F. R. Robertson & R. W. Blamey

Authors
  1. M. R. Price
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  2. A. J. Clarke
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  3. J. F. R. Robertson
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  4. C. O'Sullivan
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  5. R. W. Baldwin
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  6. R. W. Blamey
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Price, M.R., Clarke, A.J., Robertson, J.F.R. et al. Detection of polymorphic epithelial mucins in the serum of systemic breast cancer patients using the monoclonal antibody, NCRC-11. Cancer Immunol Immunother 31, 269–272 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01740933

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01740933

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