[Clinical significance of circulating immune complexes in patients with metastatic breast cancer].

In 68 patients with metastatic breast cancer a follow-up study was performed to correlate circulating immune complexes (CIC) as detected by the C1q binding assay and the Raji cell radio immunoassay with the state of disease. Clinical examinations and determinations of CIC were carried out all four to eight weeks over at least six months. 19 patients were positive for CIC in the C1q binding assay and 12 in the Raji cell radioimmunoassay. There was no correlation between the results of both tests. In comparison 26 patients out of 68 with rheumatoid arthritis were positive in the C1q binding assay and 32 in the Raji cell assay. In these patients the results of both tests correlated significantly. There was only in a few cases of metastatic breast cancer a positive correlation between levels of CIC and changes of tumor burden. Furthermore, CIC did not prove to be of prognostic value.