acid-phosphatase and Breast-Diseases

Acid phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, monoamine oxidase and non specific esterase activities were histochemically demonstrated in specimens derived from 15 infiltrating ductal carcinomas of female breast. The relative areas occupied by the enzyme-positive carcinoma cells were visually estimated and, in the cases of leucine aminopeptidase, assessed morphometrically. All enzyme activities were found to be subject to major variations within a single carcinoma and between individual carcinomas, and the activity of any single enzyme was independent of that of three others. None of the enzyme activities correlated with the estrogen and progesterone receptor values, nor the histological grade of malignancy of the tumour. Thus, histochemically demonstrable enzyme activities seem to be of no use in predicting the hormone receptor content in infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the female breast.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adult; Aged; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating; Esterases; Female; Fibrocystic Breast Disease; Humans; Leucyl Aminopeptidase; Middle Aged; Monoamine Oxidase; Phyllodes Tumor; Receptors, Cell Surface

CEA as well as alkaline and acid phosphatase were measured in patients with fibrocystic breast disease. The values recorded from the punctured fluids were compared to those in peripheral blood. CEA concentrations in cyst fluid were elevated in patients with proliferative breast disease, whereas no correlations could be established between alkaline and acid phosphatase, on the one hand, and various histological forms of breast disease, on the other.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Alkaline Phosphatase; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoembryonic Antigen; Female; Fibrocystic Breast Disease; Humans; Precancerous Conditions; Radioimmunoassay

A histochemical and ultrastructural investigation of apocrine cells in the human breast has been carried out. These cells showed strong oxidative enzymatic activity, large numbers of mitochondria and numerous infoldings of the basal plasma membrane. In these features, such cells resemble the normal apocrine gland cells. These observations support the view that this lesion is a metaplastic change in normal breast epithelium.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Alkaline Phosphatase; Apocrine Glands; Breast; Breast Diseases; Cell Membrane; Cysts; Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase; Female; Humans; Metaplasia; Mitochondria; Oxidoreductases; Sweat Glands

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenofibroma; Adult; Aged; Alkaline Phosphatase; Biopsy; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Capillaries; Cell Division; Epithelial Cells; Epithelium; Female; Fibroblasts; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; Gynecomastia; Histocytochemistry; Humans; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Male; Middle Aged; NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases; Oxidoreductases; Staining and Labeling; Succinate Dehydrogenase

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenofibroma; Breast; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Cysts; Epithelium; Esterases; Female; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Methods; Staining and Labeling; Ubiquinone