title: von Willebrand factor antigen levels in plasma of patients with malignant breast disease.
abstract: von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a protein that mediates platelet adherence to the subendothelium during primary hemostasis. High plasma vWF concentrations have been reported in patients with various types of cancer, such as head and neck, laryngeal and prostatic cancer, probably representing an acute phase reactant. In the present study we determined the plasma levels of vWF antigen (vWF:Ag) by quantitative immunoelectrophoresis in 128 female patients with breast cancer as well as in 47 women with benign breast disease and in 27 healthy female controls. The levels of vWF:Ag were 170.7 +/- 78 U/dl in patients with cancer, 148.4 +/- 59 U/dl in patients with benign disease and 130.6 +/- 45 U/dl in controls (P<0.005). We also detected a significant increase in the levels of vWF:Ag (P<0.0001) in patients with advanced stages of the disease (stage IV = 263.3 +/- 113 U/dl, stage IIIB = 194.0 +/- 44 U/dl) as compared to those with earlier stages of the disease (stage I = 155.3 +/- 65 U/dl, stage IIA = 146.9 +/- 75 U/dl). In conclusion, vWF levels were increased in plasma of patients with malignant breast disease, and these levels correlated with tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Oncologia Médica, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Röhsig
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Damin
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Stefani
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roisenberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwartsmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C029417:Von Willebrand antigen; D014841:von Willebrand Factor