Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and immunoglobulin levels in breast carcinoma

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Abstract
Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and immunoglobulin levels were studied in 50 patients with breast carcinoma before therapy (17 with stage I disease; 18 stage II; 15 stage III or IV), and in 55 patients after primary lesions were surgically removed and gave no evidence of recurrence. The most consistent and statistically significant abnormalities observed on SPE were those of albumin, globulin, and alpha‐2 globulin. Patients who were free of disease during follow‐up examinations had higher albumin and lower globulin and alpha‐2 globulin levels than those with advanced breast cancer (P = 0.003, P = 0.03, and P = 0.001 respectively). There was no difference in concentrations of immunoglobulin G, A, or M among the 5 groups. Routine laboratory tests of hemoglobulin, lymphocyte count, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase, and transaminase also did not differ among the groups, but carcinoembryonic antigen was significantly elevated in patients with stage III and IV disease.