Early Diagnostic Markers and Therapeutic Targets for Experimental Breast Cancer.

Various stem cells were studied in female BALB/c mice at the early terms after administration of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea to search early diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. At these terms, damage to the epithelium and endothelium, inflammation, and fibrosis were observed in the mammary gland, but the tumor was not detected. Cancer stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), hematopoietic progenitor cells, angiogenic precursors, and epithelial progenitor cells were found in the blood and mammary gland. Cancer stem cells (CD44+CD24—) are proposed as the early diagnostic marker of breast cancer, and short-living HSC, hematopoietic progenitor cells, and angiogenic precursors (CD45—CD117+FLK-1+) as predictors of the formation of tumor microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]