A proposed estimate of the tumor aggressiveness of human breast cancer using radiorespirometry.

The relationships between carcinomatous aggressiveness and the glucolytic metabolism, namely the rate of 14CO2 production from [U-14C] glucose, are obtained from human breast tissues using radiorespirometry. The values are estimated as the initial velocity (V) expressed in eta 14CO2 x min-1 x g-1 of fresh tissues by [U-14C] glucose metabolism. The aggressiveness of the breast carcinomatous is diagnosed by the SBR grade system. As two control normal tissues, (V) are 0.86 to 0.90 from non-cancer patients. In carcinomatous tissues (Vc), there is an increase from 1.53 to 3.14, but in the corresponding surrounding non-cancer tissues (Vn) these show a decrease from 2.20 to 0.22 for SBR I, SNR II to SBR III. The ratio between (Vc) and (Vn) are found, according to carcinomatous aggressiveness, as 1.45 to 1.54, 1.69, 2.35 to 2.86 and 4.82 to 10.38 respectively for SBR I, lobular carcinoma, SBR II and SBR III; while the ratio is 1.04 for the normal tissue which come from non-cancer patients. The above results suggest the possibility of assessing the carcinomatous aggressiveness by radiorespirometry before a histopathological diagnosis, even in a lower aggressiveness as in SBR I cases which are difficult to diagnose and manage.