Simultaneous microscopic and biochemical findings in breast carcinoma. Preliminary results

Intratumoral protein and glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI) content as well as median nuclear DNA amount were determined in breast carcinoma that could be classified by Bloom's grading. These data were analyzed in comparison with TNM classification. Higher protein contents have been displayed in T2 or N+ breast cancers than in T1 or N- tumors. Bloom's grading is strongly correlated to median nuclear DNA content and to some extent with protein and GPI amount. With these results, we have to think about the value of prognostic cytologic criteria. The relationship between intratumoral protein content and prognostic clinical or histological data requires our attention. This would seem to dictate a need for caution in expressing the results of some variables in function of protein content.