Romano M, Cecco L, Cerra M
Tumori. 1981 Oct 31;67(5):431-5. doi: 10.1177/030089168106700507.
Polyamine and nucleic acid levels were determined in normal human breasts, in primary infiltrating ductal carcinoma breasts, in the uninvolved tissues of the same carcinoma-bearing breasts and in the urine of the same patients. The results showed that the production of polyamines in the carcinoma tissue is significantly higher than in normal tissue; the presence of a carcinoma in the breast does not modify the levels of polyamines and nucleic acids in the surrounding uninvolved tissue; spermidine and spermine are correlated both with DNA and RNA in the carcinoma; the urinary polyamine levels in the carcinoma-bearing patients were not significantly different from that of controls. There appeared to be a close relationship between polyamine biosynthesis and tumoral mammary cell development and a very fine control between the biosynthesis of both spermidine and spermine and nucleic acids. In addition, the localized solid breast carcinoma, with non-proven metastases, did not provoke an increase in polyamine excretion.