Abstract |
Purpose: It has been known that the activity of
extracellular matrix degradative enzymes such as
collagenase correlate well with the metastaic potential
of various tumor cells in experimental study. This
study was aimed at comparing the activities of type IV
collagenase with bone scan findings in patients with
breast cancer. Materials and Methods: We
retrospectively correlated bone scan findings with the
results of immunohistochemical staining for 92kDa,
72kDa type IV collagenase in 28, and 30 patients with
metastatic breast cancer, respectively, as well as 23,
and 27 patients with primary breast cancer,
respectively. The immunohistochemical staining was
performed with tissue specimens obtained from primary
or metastatic breast tumor lesions. The amounts of the
enzyme were graded from 0 to 4 and scored by
multiplication metastasis was also scored from 1 to 5
with increasing probability. Results: There was a
significant difference in enzyme scores between
patients with and without metastasis. In patients with
primary breast cancer group, the frequency of patients
with enzyme score of less than 170 were 96%(26/27) and
100%(26/26) with 92kDa and 72kDa collagenase,
respectively. In contrast, in patients with metastatic
breast cancer group, the frequency of patients with
enzyme score of more than 200 were 93%(28/30) and 87%
(26/30) with 92kDa and 72kDa collagenase, respectively.
All patients with each enzyme score of less than 170
show no active bony metastasis, however, there were
variable bone scan findings in patients with each
enzyme score of more than 200. Conclusion: Bone scan is
useful to confirm, localize or follow up of bony
metastasis in patients with each enzyme scores of more
than 200. Acitve metastatic lesions were hardly seen on
the bone scintigraphy in patients with collagenase
scores of less than 170. |