title: The diagnostic, predictive, and prognostic role of serum epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) levels in breast cancer.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in breast cancer (BC) patients. Ninety-six BC patients and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled into this study. Pretreatment serum markers were determined by the solid-phase sandwich (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)). The median age at diagnosis was 48 years (range 29-80 years). Majority of the patients (71 %) had luminal subtype, and 38.5 % had metastatic disease. Twenty-nine (30 %) patients showed tumor progression, and 20 (21 %) patients died during follow-up. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 8.6 ± 1.7 and 35.5 ± 1.5 months, respectively. The baseline serum EpCAM levels of the patients were significantly higher than those of the controls (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the serum levels of VCAM-1 between the patients and controls (p = 0.47). No significant correlation was detected between the levels of the serum markers and other clinical parameters (p > 0.05). Patients with HER-2-positive and triple-negative tumors had significantly poorer PFS (p = 0.04 and p = 0.001, respectively), while metastatic disease and chemotherapy unresponsiveness had significantly adverse effect on OS analysis (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Neither serum VCAM-1 levels nor serum EpCAM levels were identified to have a prognostic role on either PFS or OS (VCAM-1 p = 0.76 and p = 0.32; EpCAM p = 0.16 and p = 0.69, respectively). Even though any predictive or prognostic role could not be determined for both markers, serum levels of EpCAM were found to have diagnostic value in BC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Oncology Institute, Istanbul University, Capa, 34390, Istanbul, Turkey, drsenemkarabulut@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karabulut
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tastekin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karabulut
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Yasasever
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ciftci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Güveli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fayda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vatansever
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serilmez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Disci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aydıner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1