MUC1 serum assays in breast cancer: tumor specificities and reference levels.

The aim of the study was to establish reference ranges and to explore the tumor specificities of two automated assays for MUC1. Sera from 124 female blood donors, 144 patients with benign disease of the breast, 69 patients with stage I, 75 with stage II, 89 with stage III and 38 patients with stage IV breast cancer were analyzed for MUC1 levels using two automated immunometric assays employing assay antibody pairs Ma695/Ma552 and BC2/GP1.4, respectively.

Immunometric assay interference: incidence and prevention.

Background: The primary aim of the study was to reduce interference in an in-house two-site, two-step immunometric assay.

Methods: In the running laboratory routine, 11 261 samples were tested with a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) assay with bovine immunoglobulin but no murine immunoglobulins in the buffer, in parallel to our routine CEA assay, using 15 mg/L heat-treated nonspecific murine immunoglobulin (MAK33) in the buffer and with the Fc fragments removed from the capture antibody.

Results: The frequency of interference was estimated to be 4.

Elevated CA125 in breast cancer--A sign of advanced disease.

The serum tumor markers CA 125, MUC1 and CEA were measured in 221 breast cancer patients over a period of 2 years. Patients examined on at least three occasions were included in the study. Thirty-three patients had increasing or continuously high concentrations of CA 125.

New immunoassays for MUC1 in breast cancer.

Eleven experimental immunofluorometric assays (IFMAs) were made using antibodies previously tested for epitope specificities. These assays were compared with six commercially available immunoassays. The clinical performance of these experimental assays was evaluated by analysing sera from 138 breast cancer patients and 105 female blood donors.

Automated immunofluorometric assay for MUC1.

The aim of the present study was to establish a robust, reliable and fully automated immunofluorometric assay for the breast cancer serum marker MUC1. This would further serve as a prototype assay for evaluation of other MUC1 assays based on new antibody combinations. Using time-resolved fluorescence as tracer signal we developed an automated immunofluorometric assay for MUC1 (MUC1 IFMA).

[Abdominal metastases from signet cell carcinoma of the appendix vermiformis].

Signet cell carcinomas are often aggressive tumours. A patient with this tumour, originally located in the appendix, was diagnosed with peritoneal metastases. When she later got abdominal symptoms, computer axial tomography indicated large infiltrating tumour masses in the pelvis.

Summary report on the ISOBM TD-6 workshop: analysis of 20 monoclonal antibodies against Sialyl Lewisa and related antigens. Montreux, Switzerland, September 19-24, 1997.

The ISOBM TD-6 Workshop is the first international workshop on monoclonal antibodies against the Sialyl Lewisa (SLea) antigen. Eight research groups participated in a blind study to characterize the epitope binding, relative affinity and performance in immunoradiometric assays, of a panel of 20 monoclonal antibodies. The antibodies were tested against a diverse panel of neoglycoconjugates, purified antigens and human serum pools from gastrointestinal malignancies.

Carcinoma-associated MUC1 detected by immunoradiometric assays.

Fifty-four anti-MUC1 antibodies submitted to the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine (ISOBM) Workshop (TD-4) were evaluated in immunoradiometric assays, using sera from carcinoma patients and healthy donors. The carcinoma serum pool contained sera from 30 patients with advanced cancer (10 breast, 10 colon, and 10 ovarian). This serum pool contained 696 kU/l MUC1, 770 micrograms/l CEA, and 3,700 kU/l CA 125.

Brain metastasis model in athymic nude mice using a novel MUC1-secreting human breast-cancer cell line, MA11.

The MA11 human breast-cancer cell line was established with cells isolated from a bone-marrow sample using immunomagnetic beads conjugated to the anti-MUC1 antibody BM-2. The cell line showed a selective preference for metastasising to the brain in athymic nude mice. Following injection of MA11 cells into the left ventricle of the heart, brain metastases developed in 87% (20/23) animals, with a mean latency until development of neurological symptoms of 65 days.