Relationship between mammaglobin expression and radiological characteristics in breast fibroadenoma
Mammaglobin ( MGB ) is the promising specific marker of early breast cancer. MGB expression correlates with tumor size, stage of the disease, grade, etc., but relationship between MGB expression level and tumor mammographic features is considered to be insufficiently explored. Materials and Methods: MGB mRNA expression level was analyzed by real-time PCR in 84 tissue samples from 42 patients with histologically confirmed breast fibroadenoma. Correlation between mammaglobin expression level and different X-ray tumor features, such as precise tumor contours, diffuse mastopathy, fibrocystic mastopathy (FCM) and fatty involution, was assessed. Results: Average mRNA mammaglobin expression level in patients "without diffuse mastopathy" was significantly lower than in patients with "fatty involution" (P = 0.00039). Average MGB expression level in patients with severe FCM was three times higher than in patients with low and moderate FCM (P <0.05). MGB expression level in FA with precise X-ray contour was lower as compared to tumors with illegible contour (P = 0.062). Conclusion: Combination of severe FCM, illegible X-ray tumor contour and high level of mRNA MGB expression may be adverse diagnostic factor and requires a more detailed examination.