title: Circulating Growth and Angiogenic Factors and Lymph Node Status in Early-stage Breast Cancer - A Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the possibility of selected biomarkers for breast cancer diagnostics and/or treatment monitoring, lymph node (LN) status determination and clinical decision regarding axillary node dissection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and eleven patients with malignant breast cancer and 42 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) and plasma epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteopontin (OPN) were measured. We compared patients versus controls, patients with negative versus positive lymph node and patients with and without axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found elevated IGF1 and VEGF levels in patients with lymph node metastases compared to controls (p=0.0179 and p=0.0091, respectively) and in patients with ALND (p=0.0337 and p=0.0438, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Circulating IGF1 and VEGF levels may predict the presence of lymph node metastases and help in the decision to avoid ALND in patients with early-stage breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoanalysis, Faculty Hospital in Pilsen and Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic karlikovam@fnplzen.cz.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karlikova
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoanalysis, Faculty Hospital in Pilsen and Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ondrej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Topolcan
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty Hospital in Pilsen, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narsanska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoanalysis, Faculty Hospital in Pilsen and Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radek
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kucera
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty Hospital in Pilsen, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Inka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Treskova
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty Hospital in Pilsen, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vladislav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Treska
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000097:blood; D010865:Pilot Projects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C583557:IGF1 protein, human; C515497:IGFBP3 protein, human; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; C506895:SPP1 protein, human; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D053495:Osteopontin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
keywords: Breast cancer; IGF1; VEGF; axillary lymph node dissection; biomarkers; lymph node status