Serum soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor type I concentrations independently predict prognosis in patients with breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to exploit the potential clinical use of circulating cytokine assessment in patients with breast cancer.


METHODS
The following circulating cytokines were measured in 210 histopathologically confirmed, untreated breast cancer patients: interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα), interleukin 8 (IL-8), soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor type I (sTNF RI), sTNF RII, interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), interleukin 10 (IL-10), macrophage colony-stimulating factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The patients have been followed-up for 10 years.


RESULTS
bFGF and VEGF showed the highest diagnostic sensitivity. Only IL-6 concentrations were related to the clinical stage. A high percentage of patients in clinical stage I showed increased serum sTNF RII, VEGF and bFGF concentrations, of which only sTNF RII was found to be increased in a smaller percentage of patients with more advanced disease compared with patients with early stage disease. Patients aged 50 years and more presented with significantly higher concentrations of sTNF RI, IL-10, IL-6 and VEGF compared with younger patients. In multivariate analysis, a significant value of pretreatment serum sTNF RI concentrations, next to stage and oestrogen receptors status, was its utility as an independent prognostic factor of the overall survival in patients with breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum sTNF RI may be considered an additional, independent and clinically useful factor of poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer.
Fuksiewicz
Malgorzata
M
Department of Tumour Markers, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Cancer Centre and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland. fuksiewiczm@coi.pl
Kowalska
Maria
M
Kotowicz
Beata
B
Rubach
Maryna
M
Chechlinska
Magdalena
M
Pienkowski
Tadeusz
T
Kaminska
Janina
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012995:Solubility; D016019:Survival Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
D016207:Cytokines; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2