Mammaglobin A: overview and clinical utility

GHERSEVICH, SERGIO; CEBALLOS M P

ADVANCES IN CLINICAL CHEMISTRY

ELSEVIER ACADEMIC PRESS INC

Lugar: Burlington, MA, Estados Unidos; Año: 2013 p. 241 - 268

0065-2423

Mammaglobin A protein belongs to the secretoglobin superfamily and shows ahighlyspecific expression in normal mammary tissue and in cells from most breast cancers.Considering that mammaglobin A has not been detected in blood samples from healthyindividuals and based on its specific expression in breast cells, it is one of the markersused to detect circulating or disseminated tumor cells in patients with breast cancer. Inaddition, different experimental approaches are investigating the protein as a target forimmune therapies directed to treat breast cancer. The present review attempts tosummarize data concerning mammaglobin A at genetic andprotein levels and itsmainclinical applications. Furthermore, some characteristics of breast cancer, the methodsused to isolate and detect circulating tumor cells, and an overview of results fromdifferentstudies that utilize mammaglobin A as a breast cancer marker, are also reviewed in thepresent report.