Nipple aspirate fluid expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor predicts breast cancer diagnosis and advanced disease.
BACKGROUND
Tumor expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and uPA receptor (uPAR) are breast cancer prognostic factors. Less is known about their usefulness in breast cancer diagnosis. Nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) is secreted into the breast duct and collected noninvasively, making it potentially useful both in breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis. We determined the association of uPA, PAI-1, and uPAR levels in NAF with breast cancer (1) detection and (2) advanced disease.


METHODS
A total of 88 NAF specimens were collected from women with or without breast cancer, and uPA, PAI-1, and uPAR expression were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
uPA and uPAR were independent predictors of cancer presence; uPAR was also an independent predictor of advanced disease stage. Higher PAI-1 expression in breast cancer that was found with univariate analysis was not observed after logistic regression was applied.


CONCLUSIONS
NAF evaluation of uPA, uPAR, and, perhaps, PAI-1 (significant only in univariate analysis) may provide useful breast cancer diagnostic and prognostic information.
Qin
Wenyi
W
Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65212, USA.
Zhu
Weizhu
W
Wagner-Mann
Colette
C
Sauter
Edward R
ER
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009558:Nipples; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C524898:PLAUR protein, human; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator