Can microcalcifications’ characteristics predict the risk of breast cancer metastasis to bone?

Abstract

Aim: To correlate the microcalcifications’ characteristics, such as morphology and elemental compositions, with the occurrence of bone metastatic lesions at 5 years from diagnosis.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 70 patients from which we collected one breast biopsy each. From each biopsy, paraffin serial sections were obtained to perform histological classifications, immunohistochemical analyses and Energy Dispersive X-ray evaluation.

Results: Microcalcifications analysis showed a significant association between the presence of calcium crystals made of magnesium substituted hydroxyapatite and the development of bone metastasis from 5 years from diagnosis. No significant association was observed by evaluation the morphological appearance of microcalcifications. Immunohistochemical analysis displayed a significant association between the expression of bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and pentraxin-3, two osteoblast induction factors, and the formation of bone metastatic lesions.

Conclusion: Results here reported highlighted the possible use of breast microcalcifications as a negative prognostic marker of bone metastatic diseases. In particular, the association between elemental composition of breast microcalcifications and the formation of bone lesions can lay the foundation for the development of new in vivo diagnostic tools based on the analysis of microcalcifications and capable to predict the formation of bone metastasis.

Keywords

Microcalcifications / breast cancer / bone metastasis / breast osteoblast-like cells / bone morphogenetic proteins 2 / pentraxin-3

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