Journal article
Localization of parathyroid hormone-related protein in breast cancer metastases: increased incidence in bone compared with other sites.
GJ Powell, J Southby, JA Danks, RG Stillwell, JA Hayman, MA Henderson, RC Bennett, TJ Martin
Cancer Res | Published : 1991
Abstract
Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) has recently been identified in 60% of a series of primary breast cancers. The detection of a bone-resorbing factor in tumors with a propensity to metastasize to bone prompted study of PTHrP in breast cancer metastasis. PTHrP was localized by immunohistology in 12 of 13 (92%) breast cancer metastases in bone and in 3 of 18 (17%) metastases in non-bone sites. The statistical difference was highly significant (P less than 0.0001). Production of PTHrP as a bone-resorbing agent may contribute to the ability of breast cancers to grow as bone metastases.