[Serum levels of beta-seminoprotein (beta-Sm) in patients with breast cancer].

Serum levels of beta-Sm (a component of human seminal plasma) were measured in patients with breast cancer or mastopathy by RIA method. 9.4 +/- 9.5 ng/ml in control healthy adult women and 11.7 +/- 15.7 ng/ml in 8 patients with mastopathy were observed. Whereas, in 30 patients with breast cancer including 28 pre-operation and 2 recurrence 64.5 +/- 52.3 ng/ml were observed. Especially, high levels of beta-Sm (135.8 and 182.3 ng/ml) in the recurrence were detected. Each case of 8 post-operation was below 50 ng/ml. Fifty-seven percent of patients with breast cancer including pre-operation and recurrence were showed over 50 ng/ml. In histological typing, the beta-Sm levels of papillotubular carcinoma were higher than that of scirrhous carcinoma. In tubular carcinoma, 45% of stage I, 67% of stage II and 100% of stage III, IV and recurrence cases were over 50 ng/ml. The evidence suggests that serum levels of beta-Sm is useful for the diagnosis of breast cancer.