Cell kinetics and biochemical parameters in breast cancer

The study analyzes biochemical and cell kinetic parameters to characterize solid tumor growth in humans. The concentrations of polyamines, CEA, the thymidine labeling index (T.L.I.) and the mitotic index (M.I.) were determined on fragments of neoplastic tissue from 18 patients with breast carcinoma. Urinary polyamines were evaluated in the same patients. Two groups of patients were distinguished according to the median value of the with high T.L.I., M.I. and tissue polyamines were significantly higher than in the group with low T.L.I., whereas tissue CEA was lower, though in a not statistically significant way. Urinary polyamines showed no variations between groups. These preliminary results showed that T.L.I. levels were higher in patients who relapsed during a 4-year follow-up than in patients achieving complete remission and remaining disease free. Results concerning polyamine concentration showed that the tissue polyamine level in breast carcinoma indicated proliferative activity, but this does not seem to be valuable for current prognostic purposes.