Abstract:
This is a descriptive study carried out in different hospitals in
Khartoum state during the period from April 2005 to October 2005.
The study aimed to detect, histochemically the presence and
intensity of different types of carbohydrates in breast cancer.
Sixty biopsies were obtained from mastectomy specimens or
surgically removed breast lesions. Of these 50 specimens
represented different types of breast cancers and the remaining 10
were from fibroadenoma tissues taken as controls.
After tissue processing 4 different histochemical techniques were
performed to identify carbohydrate type; Periodic Acid Schiff's
(PAS)/ Diastase technique and Alcian Blue technique at 3 different
PH (PH 2.5, PH 1 and PH 3.2).
Our findings indicated that both malignant and benign neoplastic
tissues secrete mucopolysaccharides with increased ratio of the
sulphated mucin. On the other hand the overall proteoglycans
content of the malignant tissue was greater than that of the
corresponding benign ones.
We concluded that growing tumors are characterized by an
elevated content of mucopolysaccahrides compared to their tissue
of origin. Therefore, we recommend taking mucopolysaccharides
more into consideration for the histological findings of tumors, and
as a tool to differentiate between carcinoma of the breast and
other benign neoplasms.
