Abstract
The serum TPA levels were determined by radioimmunoassay in 104 cases of primary breast cancer, 13 of recurrent breast cancer, 25 of benign mammary tumor, 19 of thyroid cancer, 4 of benign thyroid disease, 7 of digestive cancer and 22 normal tissues. Estrogen receptor was measured by sucrose gradient centrifugation in 47 cases of human breast cancer and progesterone receptor in 23 cases.
The positive rate of TPA in cases of mammary cancer (37.6%) was higher than in cases of benign (12.0%) and of normal tissue (13.7%).
The positive rate of TPA and TPA levels in human breast cancer tend to become higher with progression of the stage.
The TPA levels tend to go down after operation or chemotherapy but in one exceptional case, the TPA level raised after operation on account of local inflammation. In one case, the TPA level at the recurrence showed remarkably higher than that at the primary.
There was little correlation between TPA levels and hormone receptor levels in human breast cancer, but the positive rate of TPA in receptor negative cases was slightly higher than in receptor positive cases.
