Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1987-7-15
pubmed:abstractText
In carcinoma of the breast the disease stage at diagnosis determines therapy and is closely related to prognosis. To date no single biochemical marker of disseminated breast cancer has been described although beta 2 microglobulin values in the serum have been suggested as a discriminant between localized and systemic disease. Using a new method of beta 2 microglobulin estimation, we carried out a prospective study of levels in 53 patients with breast cancer who were studied repetitively over a 2 yr period. No relationship could be determined between beta 2 microglobulin values and the stage of the disease. Moreover beta 2 microglobulin levels, even when elevated, did not predict early metastasis. Repeated beta 2 microglobulin estimations during treatment of metastatic disease had limited usefulness in that patients with responsive disease usually showed a fall in beta 2 microglobulin, whereas there was generally no change in non-responsive patients. These changes were, however, often within the normal range and seemed to offer a marginal improvement in assessment.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0031-3025
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
19
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
67-70
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-10-31
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1987
pubmed:articleTitle
Cancer of the breast and beta 2 microglobulin.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article