Prognostic value of pre-surgical plasma PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) levels in breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) may have an independent prognostic value in breast cancer (BC). PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism may have significance for antigen expression. Thus, we analyzed the possible associations between PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism, plasma PAI-1 levels, and clinicopathological features of breast cancer (BC) patients.


METHODS
PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism (both on germinal and tumor DNA) and plasma PAI-1 levels were investigated in 99 BC patients and 50 unrelated healthy women similar for age and menopausal status.


RESULTS
No association was found between allele frequencies and clinicopathological features of BC or plasma antigen levels. Plasma PAI-1 levels were higher in BC compared to controls (p=0.002), particularly in patients with large tumors (p<0.001). 5-year follow-up was achieved in 79 patients: 30% had relapsing disease, 63% with positive compared to 37% with negative PAI-1 levels (p<0.05). 5-year relapse-free survival rate of positive PAI-1 was 46% vs., 77% of negative patients (p=0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
We may conclude that plasma PAI-1 levels in BC patients could represent a useful prognostic variable for relapse, although PAI-1 polymorphism might not represent a genetic susceptibility factor.
Department of Laboratory Medicine & Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Via della Pisana 235, Rome, Italy. patrizia.ferroni@sanraffaele.it
Raffaele
R
Palmirotta
Patrizia
P
Ferroni
Annalisa
A
Savonarola
Francesca
F
Martini
Filippo
F
Ciatti
Anastasia
A
Laudisi
Valentina
V
Sini
Girolamo
G
Del Monte
Fiorella
F
Guadagni
Mario
M
Roselli
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012008:Recurrence; D015996:Survival Rate
D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; C051321:SERPINE1 protein, human