In vivo effect induced by interferon beta on steroid receptor status, cell kinetics and DNA ploidy in operable breast cancer patients.
Twenty-one operable breast cancer patients were treated with interferon-beta (IFN-beta) at the dosage of 3 x 10(6) IU every other day for a median time of 16 days. Estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PgR), labelling index (LI) and DNA ploidy were evaluated on tumour tissue obtained during diagnostic biopsy and surgery, before and after treatment respectively. The study showed a statistically significant rise of ER (18 out of 21 evaluable cases) (p = 0.04) and no influence on ploidy status (8/21) in all evaluable samples. We also noticed a rise of PgR (18/21) and a decrease of LI (10/21 cases), but they were not statistically significant. Moreover, in the patients in whom both determination of ER and LI was possible (10 cases), a significant inverse correlation between the differences pre- and post-treatment was observed (p = 0.016). These preliminary results induce us to study a greater number of patients with the aim to confirm the biological effects of IFN-beta on ER, to clarify the trend of the rise of PgR and the decrease of LI and to analyse the relationship between these parameters.
Di Martino
L
L
Divisione di Chirurgia Sperimentale Ospedale Oncologico A. Businco, Cagliari, Italy.
Demontis
B
B
Saccani Iotti
G
G
Murenu
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000782:Aneuploidy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008940:Mitotic Index / Q000187:drug effects; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016899:Interferon-beta