Quantitative and qualitative heterogeneity of partially hydrolysed serum proteins of cancer patients and normal individuals, analysed by polyacrylamide disc gel cationic electrophoresis. I. Breast cancer.

Serum samples from patients with primary breast carcinoma, breast carcinoma with metastases, chronic mastitis and fibroadenoma, and healthy individuals, were treated with hydrochloric acid and urea and analysed by polyacrylamide disc gel cationic electrophoresis. The discrete and highly reproducible patterns received showed variations from individual to individual. The frequencies of the presence and of the color intensity of every protein band were compared and profound differences were found for several bands between the four groups of patients and the healthy controls studied. The results suggest that a correlation exists between the electrophoretic profiles of partially hydrolysed serum cationic proteins and occurrence of disease, possibly useful for the early diagnosis of preneoplastic states.