Increased H2O2 level in exhaled breath condensate in primary breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to assess exhaled hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), blood serum antioxidant capacity, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) in primary breast cancer (PBC).


METHODS
The study included 34 consecutive, non-smoking PBC patients (aged 62.5 +/- 13.5 at surgery) prior to the treatments, qualified for modified radical mastectomy and not undergoing any adjuvant systemic therapy, and 33 healthy controls. The post surgery pathological assessment included tissue expression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors, and epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER-2/neu). Exhaled H(2)O(2) was determined fluorometrically in the exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Blood serum antioxidant capacity and TNFalpha levels were assessed with ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and ELISA immunoassay, respectively.


RESULTS
In PBC patients, 10 ER, 11 PR, and 9 HER-2/neu positive tumors were identified and HER-2/neu score was 2+ in 20% of all tumors. Median (Me) H(2)O(2) was increased up to 0.44 microM (interquartile range IR: 0.20-1.25 microM) compared with healthy control of 0.36 microM (IR: 0.12-0.48 microM; p < 0.05). The H(2)O(2) concentration in EBC was significantly correlated (tau = 0.27; p = 0.03) and increased in cases with nodal metastases (n = 12; p = 0.04). Serum TNFalpha was increased up to 51.7 +/- 21.0 pg/ml compared with controls 17.2 +/- 3.65 pg/ml (p < 0.05). FRAP was increased to 1.41 +/- 0.37 mM Fe(2+) compared with control 1.19 +/- 0.17 mM Fe(2+); (p = 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to demonstrate increased H(2)O(2) in exhaled breath condensate in patients with localized breast malignancy and its relation with clinical severity.
Stolarek
Robert A
RA
Department of Cardiovascular Physiology, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland.
Potargowicz
Elzbieta
E
Seklewska
Ewa
E
Jakubik
Jarosław
J
Lewandowski
Marek
M
Jeziorski
Arkadiusz
A
Nowak
Dariusz
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001365:Axilla; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001944:Breath Tests; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D038181:FMN Reductase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000201:enzymology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D038181:FMN Reductase; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C023903:ferric citrate iron reductase; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human