Imaging in situ breast carcinoma (with or without an invasive component) with technetium-99m pentavalent dimercaptosuccinic acid and technetium-99m 2-methoxy isobutyl isonitrile scintimammography.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to retrospectively define specific features of the technetium-99m pentavalent dimercaptosuccinic acid (99mTc-(V)DMSA) and technetium-99m 2-methoxy isobutyl isonitrile (99mTc-Sestamibi [99mTc-MIBI]) distribution in ductal breast carcinoma in situ and lobular breast carcinoma in situ (DCIS/LCIS), in relation to mammographic, histological and immunohistochemical parameters.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and two patients with suspicious palpation or mammographic findings were submitted preoperatively to scintimammography (a total of 72 patients with 99mTc-(V)DMSA and a total of 75 patients with 99mTc-Sestamibi, 45 patients receiving both radiotracers). Images were acquired at 10 min and 60 min, and were evaluated for a pattern of diffuse radiotracer accumulation.

Relationship of cell proliferation (Ki-67) to 99mTc-(V)DMSA uptake in breast cancer.

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to identify the relationships between the uptake of radiotracers - namely pentavalent dimercaptosuccinic acid [(V)DMSA] and sestamibi (MIBI) - and the following parameters in primary breast cancer: steroid receptor concentrations (i.e. estrogen receptor [ER] and progesterone receptor [PR]), Ki-67 expression, tumor size, tumor grade, age, and levels of expression of p53 and c-erbB-2.

MMP-2 protein in invasive breast cancer and the impact of MMP-2/TIMP-2 phenotype on overall survival.

Crucial event in the metastasis of cancer cells is the secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are responsible for the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Among them, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is a gelatinase, which degrades basement membrane type-IV collagen. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect MMP-2 protein in 135 infiltrative breast carcinomas.

Expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2/Flk-1 in breast carcinomas: correlation with proliferation.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor Flk-1/KDR play an important role in vascular permeability and tumor angiogenesis. Prompted by the hypothesis that VEGF/Flk-1 system may have regulatory roles in breast carcinogenesis, we investigated the expression of Flk-1 in 141 invasive breast carcinomas in correlation with clinical and immunohistochemical prognostic parameters, including proliferation indices like Ki-67 and Topoisomerase IIalpha (Topo-IIalpha). The immunohistochemical avidin-biotin-peroxidase method was performed on paraffin sections for the detection of Flk-1, p53, Bcl-2, c-erbB-2, Ki-67, Topo-IIalpha, ER, and PR.