Vascular endothelial growth factor is a strong predictor of early distant recurrences in a prospective study of premenopausal women with lymph-node negative breast cancer.
We investigate the prognostic significance of the pro-angiogenic cytokine vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), and S-phase fraction (SPF) for distant disease free survival (DDFS) in 219 premenopausal patients with node-negative breast cancer (NNBC). In univariate analysis significantly shorter DDFS was observed for patients with high VEGF (p=0.006), high uPA (p=0.001), and high SPF (p<0.001). The prognostic significance of VEGF varied over time being very strong for early relapses (0-2.25 years follow-up) (HR=7.9; p=0.006) while no difference was seen in the subsequent follow-up period (HR=1.3; p=0.62). In a series of bivariate analyses VEGF provided prognostic information during the whole observation period (0-72 months) in addition to age, tumour size, oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), and uPA. Also this effect was more pronounced during the first follow-up period suggesting VEGF as a marker of early recurrences.
Karolinska Biomic Center (KBC) Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. barbro.linderholm@ki.se
Barbro K
BK
Linderholm
Sofia
S
Gruvberger-Saal
Sofia
S
Gruvbreger-Saal
Mårten
M
Fernö
Pär-Ola
PO
Bendahl
Per
P
Malmström
D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D017697:Premenopause; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012008:Recurrence; D016196:S Phase; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator