BACKGROUND: Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) is exclusively localized in osteoclasts and has been suggested to be a unique marker of bone metastasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TRACP activity using an improved spectrophotometric assay was measured in 56 healthy volunteers and 113 breast cancer patients, including 35 with bone metastases (BM). RESULTS: TRACP activities (IU/l, mean +/- SD) of normal subjects in pre- and post-menopausal women were 5.7 +/- 1.3 and 6.6 +/- 1.2, respectively (p < 0.02). The specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of TRACP in patients, were 91.0%, 65.7%, and 83.2%, respectively. TRACP was significantly higher in patients with BM than in patients without BM (p < 0.01). In patients with BM, TRACP increased in proportion to the number of BM. Regarding clinical assessment of treatment of BM, TRACP was significantly higher in patients with progressive disease. CONCLUSION: TRACP is a useful marker of metastatic bone disease and response to treatment in breast cancer patients.
BACKGROUND: Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) is exclusively localized in osteoclasts and has been suggested to be a unique marker of bone metastasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TRACP activity using an improved spectrophotometric assay was measured in 56 healthy volunteers and 113 breast cancerpatients, including 35 with bone metastases (BM). RESULTS: TRACP activities (IU/l, mean +/- SD) of normal subjects in pre- and post-menopausal women were 5.7 +/- 1.3 and 6.6 +/- 1.2, respectively (p < 0.02). The specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of TRACP in patients, were 91.0%, 65.7%, and 83.2%, respectively. TRACP was significantly higher in patients with BM than in patients without BM (p < 0.01). In patients with BM, TRACP increased in proportion to the number of BM. Regarding clinical assessment of treatment of BM, TRACP was significantly higher in patients with progressive disease. CONCLUSION: TRACP is a useful marker of metastatic bone disease and response to treatment in breast cancerpatients.
Authors: Windy Dean-Colomb; Kenneth R Hess; Elliana Young; Terrie G Gornet; Beverly C Handy; Stacy L Moulder; Nuhad Ibrahim; Lajos Pusztai; Daniel Booser; Vicente Valero; Gabriel N Hortobagyi; Francisco J Esteva Journal: Breast Cancer Res Treat Date: 2012-12-15 Impact factor: 4.872