Urokinase-plasminogen activator, a marker for aggressive breast carcinomas. Preliminary report.
Plasminogen activator is a serine protease which exists in two forms, known as tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator. Here, we show that urokinase-type plasminogen activator activity in primary breast carcinomas correlates with both size of tumor and number of axillary nodes with metastases. Patients with primary carcinomas containing high levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator activity had a significantly shorter disease-free interval than patients with low levels of activity. It is concluded that urokinase-plasminogen activator may be a new prognostic marker in breast cancer.
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013629:Tamoxifen; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator