title: Screening of circulating TGF-β levels and its clinicopathological significance in human breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) participation in breast cancer development and metastasis is well-established, however, the clinical meaning of its circulating levels in women with breast cancer is poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the levels of TGF-β1 in plasma from women with breast cancer and to associate them with the main clinical factors associated with disease prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  TGF-β1 levels were measured by Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Clinicopathological data were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women bearing triple-negative tumors presented significantly reduced levels of this cytokine when compared to the other subtypes (p=0.0338). Patients with metastases exhibited lower levels of TGF-β1 than the non-metastatic cohort (p=0.0442). Patients with early-onset disease had the highest plasma TGF-β1 levels (p=0.0036). Doxorubicin chemotherapy induced a reduction in TGF-β1 level, promptly after drug infusion (p=0.0494). Patients with TGF-β1 levels lower than 20 pg/ml exhibited a tendency to have a reduced overall survival in a 40-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower levels of circulating TGF-β1 are associated with a poor disease prognosis.
authors: Laboratory of Pathophysiology and Free Radicals, Department of General Pathology-Center of Biological Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86051-990 Londrina, Brazil. carolpanis@sercomtel.com.br
authors: Carolina
authors: C
authors: Panis
authors: Ana Cristina
authors: AC
authors: Herrera
authors: Vanessa Jacob
authors: VJ
authors: Victorino
authors: Adriano Martin Felis
authors: AM
authors: Aranome
authors: Rubens
authors: R
authors: Cecchini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta