title: Urokinase-plasminogen activator, a new and independent prognostic marker in breast cancer.
abstract: Urokinase plasminogen activator (UK-PA) is a serine protease implicated in cancer invasion and metastasis. In this investigation, patients with breast cancers containing high levels of UK-PA antigen had significantly higher risk of early disease recurrence and shorter overall survival than did patients with low levels of the protein. In univariate analysis, UK-PA was a more powerful discriminator for disease-free interval than axillary node status, tumor size, or estradiol receptor. For overall survival, UK-PA as a prognostic marker, was of similar magnitude to axillary node status but stronger than that of tumor size or estradiol receptor. In multivariate analysis, for both disease-free interval and survival, UK-PA was an independent risk factor, being independent of tumor size, axillary node status, and estradiol receptor. UK-PA appears to be a new and independent prognostic marker in breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Higgins
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fennelly
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andreasen
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator