title: Plasma TGF-beta1-related survival of postmenopausal metastatic breast cancer patients.
abstract: A pilot study was conducted to assess whether plasma levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) might facilitate biological subgrouping of postmenopausal metastatic breast cancer patients, and, accordingly, its applicability in clinical oncology. This study included 29 postmenopausal metastatic breast cancer patients. Plasma TGF-beta1 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Estrogen and progesterone receptors were assayed by radioligand binding, in accordance with the recommendation of the EORTC. Concentrations of 17-beta estradiol were determined by using ELISA-microwell method (DIALAB). Overall survival was followed for 24 months for each individual patient. Stratification of the patients by ER/PR status showed that 14 patients with estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative carcinomas displayed a statistically significant increase in plasma TGF-beta1 levels when compared to plasma TGF-beta1 levels of 6 patients with ER-positive, PR-positive carcinomas (P=0.04). In this study, 7 out of 14 patients with negative receptors' status had no plasma TGF-beta1 values overlapping with patients having positive receptors' status. The TGF-beta1 cut-off value was defined as the highest plasma TGF-beta1 level of ER-positive, PR-positive patients: 3.28 ng/ml. This plasma TGF-beta1 cut-off value defined low-risk subgroup of 19 patients (< or = 3.28 ng/ml) and high-risk subgroup of 10 patients (> 3.28 ng/ml) (P=0.047). Plasma TGF-beta1-related survival was independent of the classical prognostic factors of metastatic breast cancer. Accordingly, a clinical significance of elevated plasma TGF-beta1 levels may be suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. dragicavn@ncrc.ac.yu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nikolić-Vukosavljević
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Todorović-Raković
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demajo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ivanović
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nesković
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markićević
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nesković-Konstantinović
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D017698:Postmenopause; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D004958:Estradiol