title: Relation between hemostatic parameters and prognostic/predictive factors in breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In our study, we searched for a relation between various prognostic and predictive factors and hemostatic parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred women with newly diagnosed breast cancer after surgery were included. Patients did not receive systemic therapy or radiotherapy. The control group included 100 healthy, age-matched women. In the patient group, age, menopausal status, tumor size, grade, axillary lymph node status, steroid receptor status, p53, and HER2/neu were evaluated. Plasma levels of factor VIII, factor IX, D-dimer, fibrinogen, protein C, protein S, vWF, and antithrombin III were measured in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma levels of factor VIII, factor IX, vWF, and CRP in patients with breast cancer were higher than those in controls. Protein S levels in patients were lower than in controls. There was no significant difference in other hemostatic parameters between the groups. In patients with axillary lymph node metastasis, factor VIII levels were significantly higher than in node-negative patients. There was a strong correlation between axillary lymph node status, number of metastatic nodes, and factor VIII levels. There was no correlation between factor VIII levels and CRP. Factor VIII levels were higher in the group having high HER2/neu (3+) than in the group with negativity for HER2/neu.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a strong correlation between axillary lymph node involvement, number of metastatic nodules, overexpression of HER2/neu, hemostatic parameters, and factor VIII levels. Our study showed that factor VIII level measurement can provide additional data for evaluation of breast cancer patients' prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University Medical School, Kurupelit/Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yigit
authors.forename: Güzin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gönüllü
authors.forename: Idris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yücel
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turgut
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: Burcu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cakar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000378:metabolism; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism; D001365:Axilla; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005164:Factor IX / Q000378:metabolism*; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D017293:Protein S / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D000990:Antithrombin III; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005164:Factor IX; D005169:Factor VIII; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D005340:Fibrinogen; D017293:Protein S; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; C036309:fibrin fragment D