Cathepsin D concentration in breast cancer cytosols: correlation with disease-free interval and overall survival.
Cathepsin D (CD) is an aspartyl protease implicated in cancer metastasis. In this study of 331 patients, we show that patients with primary breast carcinomas containing high concentrations of CD have a significantly shorter disease-free interval (chi-square = 4.28, P < 0.05) and overall survival (chi-square = 7.7, P < 0.01) than patients with low concentrations. CD as a prognostic marker for overall survival was equally valuable for women younger (chi-square = 4.39, P < 0.05) and older (chi-square = 3.97, P < 0.05) than 50 years. CD was also a significant prognostic marker for overall survival within the estradiol receptor (ER)-positive subgroup of patients (chi-square = 5.79, P < 0.025), but not in the ER-negative subgroup. Patients with tumors containing high concentrations of CD and low concentrations of ER had shorter disease-free intervals (chi-square = 15.1, P < 0.001) and lower overall survival (chi-square = 20.9, P < 0.001) than patients with high concentrations of ER but low concentrations of CD.
Duffy
M J
MJ
Department of Nuclear Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Reilly
D
D
Brouillet
J P
JP
McDermott
E W
EW
Faul
C
C
O'Higgins
N
N
Fennelly
J J
JJ
Maudelonde
T
T
Rochefort
H
H
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000032:analysis*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011959:Receptors, Estradiol / Q000032:analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011959:Receptors, Estradiol; D002402:Cathepsin D