WASHINGTON – Two new papers in the “Advancing Women’s Health” issue of Clinical Chemistry, the journal of AACC, show for the first time that measuring the amount of certain protein fragments and microRNAs in a woman’s blood and breast tissue might enable the early diagnosis of breast cancer or prediction of its metastasis, respectively.
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Cancer is the second leading cause of death in both men and women in the U.S. However, women have a higher chance than men of being diagnosed with cancer before the age of 60 due to breast cancer development. Metastases in breast cancer’s later stages cause the majority of deaths associated with the disease, making early detection crucial to patient survival. Testing for the right biomarkers—biological molecules whose presence indicates a disease—could increase survival rates more than current screening methods such as mammography. Until recently, however, scientists have discovered disappointingly few useful cancer markers.
A team of researchers led by Ye Hu, PhD, of Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, has discovered several promising new biomarkers that could revolutionize the way breast cancer is diagnosed. In their paper, they show that levels of the enzyme carboxypeptidase N (CPN) are higher in breast cancer tissue than in healthy tissues. This enzyme produces six protein fragments, or peptides, that then enter the bloodstream. Hu’s team found that a rise in blood concentrations of these six peptides strongly correlates with increases of CPN, which in turn indicates the presence of breast cancer.
“Our results represent a first demonstration, to our knowledge, that clearly links the proteolytic activity of CPN, particularly at tumor sites, to the cleavage patterns of its catalytic substrates in the blood,” said Hu. “These biomarkers show strong potential for the noninvasive and early diagnosis of breast cancer. We advocate their use … certainly to be detected and identified before metastasis, and perhaps even before the tumor presents with any observable characteristics commonly used in the clinic.”
Another research team headed by Evi Lianidou, PhD, of the University of Athens, Athens, Greece, set out to address the current inability to predict at the time of breast cancer diagnosis whether a patient will experience a relapse or metastasis. Many recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs), a type of molecule that turns genes on and off, can play a critical role in the metastasis process. Upon examining this further, Lianidou’s team found that breast cancer patients who experienced quick relapses tended to have high and low levels of the microRNAs miR-21 and miR-205, respectively, in their tumor tissue. The team also discovered a connection between low levels of miR-205 and reduced overall survival.
Testing for these miRNAs or CPN-catalyzed peptides in early or potential breast cancer patients could ensure that women at risk of metastasis receive life-saving preventative treatment.
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About AACC
Dedicated to achieving better health through laboratory medicine, the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) brings together more than 50,000 clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and business leaders from around the world focused on clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, translational medicine, lab management, and other areas of breaking laboratory science. Since 1948, AACC has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing programs that advance scientific collaboration, knowledge, expertise, and innovation. For more information, visit www.myadlm.org.