A study of terminal sugar of cell surface glycoconjugate (Gal/GalNac) in fibroadenoma and intraductal carcinoma of the breast

Background and Despite the impressive progress in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, due to late diagnosis and metastasis to lymph nodes, it is still the leading cause of mortality in women. New studies showed a few changes in cell surface glycoconjugate in a few organs in process of neoplasia. The aim of the present study was to recognize Gal/GalNac in cell surface glycoconjugate of fibroadenoma and intraductal carcinoma of the breast. H_Ë sections of 40 patients diagnosed with fibroadenoma and intraductal carcinoma at pathology file of Khatam-Âl-Ânbia hospital were chosen. Sections with 5-7 µm thickness were prepared from suitable paraffin blocks of 10 patients (5 fibroadenoma & 5 intraductal carcinoma) and lectin histochemistry using PNÂ were done (10µg/ml in PBS 0.1 M, pH = 6.8 and alcian blue pH = 2.5). Sections studied blindly and histologic reports were prepared. The results of this study showed the presence of Gal/GalNac in apical surface of cells in fibroadenoma and as intracytoplasmic in neoplastic cells of intraductal carcinoma of the breast. Ïn addition, the reactivity of cells to the lectin was higher in intraductal carcinoma than fibroadenoma. Çonclusion: Ït seems that terminal sugars of cell surface glycoconjugate and the degree of reactivity of cells to lectin were changed in breast cancer.