The relationship between serum levels of erythropoietin (EPO) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (ILGF-1) and hematocrit (HCT) in breast cancer patients receiving non-nephrotoxic chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between the hematocrit (HCT), serum erythropoietin (EPO) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (ILGF-1) levels in breast cancer patients receiving non-nephrotoxic chemotherapy.


METHODS
Seventeen patients with stage II breast cancer were included. All received 6 cycles of non-nephrotoxic chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil and doxorubicin or methotrexate with or without tamoxifen). Insulin-like growth factor-1 and EPO levels were determined before and at the end of therapy. Serum EPO levels were determined by Enzyme linked- immunosorbant assay (ELISA) while those of ILGF- I by radioimmunoassay (RIA).


RESULTS
A significant drop in mean HCT from 37.41%+/-0.77% to 35.18%+/-0.70%, associated with a significant decline in ILGF-1 levels from 92.1+/-15.48 ng/ml to 52.75+/-10.5 ng/ml at the end of the treatment was noted. This association became significant when patients receiving tamoxifen were excluded (r=0.69, p=0.02). The mean serum EPO levels increased significantly from 13.64+/-0.55 U/l to 19.44+/-3.18 U/l and correlated negatively with ILGF-1 level (r=-0.46, p=0.05). There was no significant relation between the serum EPO levels and HCT (r=-0.26, p=0.32).


CONCLUSIONS
The current data show that ILGF-1 may play an important role in erythropoiesis and it correlates better than EPO with HCT in breast cancer patients receiving non-nephrotoxic chemotherapy.
Shamseddine
A
A
Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon.
Medawar
W
W
Seoud
M
M
Ibrahim
K
K
Habbal
Z
Z
Kahwaji
S
S
Khalil
A
A
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate