The presence and significance of the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen in mammary gland. II. Its topochemistry in normal, hyperplastic and carcinoma tissue of the breast.

Normal tissue as well as various benign and malignant lesions of the breast were histochemically examined for the presence of the Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF)-antigen. Fluorescein- or 3H-labelled peanut agglutinin was used for this purpose, a lectin that is known to have a high affinity for the TF-antigen. The occurrence of this TF-antigen seemed in all cases, even in the carcinoma lobulare in situ that is regarded as being derived from myoepithelial cells by some authors, to be associated with a secretory condition. Its presence (free and neuraminic acid covered) in normal, hyperplastic and malignant breast tissue, however, cannot be considered a specific tumour associated antigen as has been previously assumed. Furthermore the investigations have shown that the intensity of fluorescence for peanut agglutinin (PNA)-receptors was generally stronger in differentiated carcinomas than in undifferentiated carcinomas of the breast. The histochemical findings are discussed with regard to diagnostical and immunotherapeutical aspects.