IMMUNOPEROXIDASE LOCALIZATION OF LACTALBUMIN IN MALIGNANT BREAST NEOPLASMS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 106  (6) , 268-270
Abstract
By an immunoperoxidase method, lactalbumin was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells of normal breast, primary and metastatic breast carcinomas, and benign breast disease [of humans]. Lactalbumin was present in 39 of 64 breast carcinomas of different types, including 77% (31) of infiltrating ductal carcinomas and 42% (7) of infiltrating lobular carcinomas. It also was present in 55% (9) of metastatic breast carcinomas and in 100% (5) of fibroadenomas. Lactalbumin was not observed in normal tissues and malignant neoplasms of other tissues and malignant neoplasms of other tissues, indicating that lactalbumin can serve as a specific tissue marker for malignant neoplasms of the breast and their metastases.