Thymidine kinase 1 in serum predicts increased risk of distant or loco-regional recurrence following surgery in patients with early breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The prognostic value of the concentration of serum thymidine kinase 1 (S-TK1) with regard to recurrence in low risk breast cancer patients, 3 months after surgery was evaluated.


METHODS
The concentration of S-TK1 in serum was determined in 120 breast cancer patients at the time of surgery and in 67 patients 3 months after surgery, by anti-TK1 chicken IgY antibody, using a dot-blot immuno-assay. The S-TK1 concentration was compared with the serological activity of thymidine kinase (STK) and of carbohydrate antigen (CA 15-3).


RESULTS
A statistically significant trend (unadjusted) was found for recurrence (distant or loco-regional) in patients with a higher S-TK1 concentration, as compared with patients with a lower S-TK1 concentration. A multivariate analysis gave the same results. The hazard rate ratio for developing distant and/or loco-regional recurrence in patients with a higher S-TK1 concentration was about six to seven times higher than in patients with a lower S-TK1 concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that the S-TK1 concentration is higher in patients developing distant and/or loco-regional recurrence 3 months post-surgery.
He
Qimin
Q
Department of Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Fornander
Tommy
T
Johansson
Hemming
H
Johansson
Ulla
U
Hu
Guo Zhu
GZ
Rutqvist
Lars-Erik
LE
Skog
Sven
S
D000328:Adult; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D017273:Goserelin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000097:blood*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013629:Tamoxifen; D017273:Goserelin; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; C092717:thymidine kinase 1