Mammaglobin A as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in breast cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumor in women. Due to the high heterogeneity and multiplicity of histological subtypes within this type of cancer, the expression of breast cancer markers is very diverse. Therefore, a biomarker with high sensitivity and specificity would be extremely important for the correct diagnosis and prognosis assessment in breast cancer patients. Mammaglobin A seems to be such a biomarker. Overexpression of this protein is closely related with carcinogenesis in the mammary gland and is observed in up to 80% of cases of the malignant breast cancers. According to many reports, it is postulated that mammaglobin A may be a promising tool in the diagnostics of cancers but also a prognostic, predictive and therapeutic factor. The information contained in this publication presents the current state of knowledge about the structure of mammaglobin A, its function, role in the tumorigenesis and the use of this protein as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in breast cancer.