title: The prognostic value of the soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (s-uPAR) in plasma of breast cancer patients with and without metastatic disease.
abstract: Elevated levels of soluble uPAR (s-uPAR) and other fibrinolytic parameters functionally related to the urokinase-type plasminogen activator system might indicate the presence of cancer cells. In 25 breast cancer patients with metastases s-uPAR was significantly increased compared with 25 patients without metastases and with 25 healthy controls: 420 pg mL-1 vs. 145 pg mL-1 (P = 0.005) and 190 pg mL-1 (P = 0.003). Plasmin-alpha2-antiplasmin (PAP) complexes and d-dimers were significantly increased in breast cancer patients with metastases compared with patients without metastases and with healthy controls. The levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 activity, uPA antigen and factor (F)XIIa did not significantly differ between the patient groups and healthy controls. PAP complexes (529 microg L-1 vs. 420 microg L-1; P = 0.03), d-dimers (278.5 ng mL-1 vs. 79.0 ng mL-1; P = 0.005) and FXIIa (1.64 ng mL-1 vs. 1.19 ng mL-1; P = 0.01) were significantly higher in patients with metastases not surviving compared with patients with metastases surviving the 3-year follow-up period. Plasma s-uPAR levels in the patients with metastases did not discriminate between patients surviving and patients not surviving after 3-year follow-up. No significant differences in s-uPAR or any of the other parameters were found in the five patients developing metastases during follow-up. A single value of s-uPAR is of limited value in the follow-up of breast cancer patients with and without metastatic disease and does not predict survival or future metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Haematology, Máxima Medical Centre, Eindhoven, the Netherlands. mnijziel@diac-ehv.nl
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nijziel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Oerle
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hellenbrand
authors.forename: E C M
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Van Pampus
authors.forename: H F P
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Hillen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamulyák
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000097:blood*; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D012995:Solubility; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; C524898:PLAUR protein, human; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator