Menstrual state should be considered in determining sero-positivity of soluble angiogenic factors in breast cancer.
We investigated whether blood angiogenic factor (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF; angiogenin; basic fibroblast growth factor, bFGF; platelet-derived growth factor-AB, PDGF-AB) levels change during menstrual cycle of healthy premenopausal females or after menopause. We also measured the serum angiogenic factor levels in 34 operable breast cancer patients and compared them to those of healthy volunteer controls. No differences in the four angiogenic factor levels were found between the follicular and luteal phases of normal menstruation. However, angiogenin and bFGF levels were higher in pre-menopausal females than post-menopausal female and young male healthy volunteers. In cancer patients, the sero-positivity rate of the bFGF was 8.8% with menstrual-state-unmatched cut-off points, which increased to 36.4% with menstrual-state-matched cut-off points. This discrepancy was especially high in post-menopausal cancer patients. In conclusion, physiological elevation of the bFGF during normal menstruation can influence the precise interpretation of the pathological elevation of the bFGF in pre-menopausal breast cancer patients.
Chung
H C
HC
Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei Cancer Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seodaemun-gu, Shinchon-dong 134, C.P.O. box 8044, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
Rha
S Y
SY
Ahn
J B
JB
Shim
K Y
KY
Yoo
N C
NC
Kim
J H
JH
Roh
J K
JK
Lee
K S
KS
Min
J S
JS
Kim
B S
BS
Kim
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D017697:Premenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D012259:Ribonuclease, Pancreatic / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C095477:platelet-derived growth factor AB; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; C046366:angiogenin; D012259:Ribonuclease, Pancreatic