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Tissue ferritin concentration in carcinoma of the breast
Author(s) -
Weinstein Robert E.,
Bond Bernice H.,
Silberberg Boris K.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19821201)50:11<2406::aid-cncr2820501127>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - ferritin , medicine , pathology , epithelium , carcinoma , mammary gland , breast tissue , breast cancer , cancer
Ferritin concentration was measured in cytosol extracts of 44 mammary carcinomas and 14 benign breast tissues. A six‐fold difference was observed (mean, 364.6 ± 223.3 ng/mcp in malignant tissue versus mean, 60.2 ± 42.1 ng/mcp in benign tissue P < 0.001). Thirty‐five malignant tissue specimens were reviewed independently by a pathologist without knowledge of their ferritin contents. Higher concentrations of ferritin were present in malignancies with greater degrees of epithelial proliferation and plemorphism suggesting the malignant epithelium as the major site of the increased ferritin. There was no correlation between desmoplastic reaction within the tumors or inflammation within or adjacent to the tumors and ferritin concentration. Ferritin in breast tissue may be important as a marker of neoplasia, a source of elevated serum ferritin, an indicator of clinical prognosis or an immunosuppressive substance.