The influence of pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase activity on metastasis of breast cancer.

Abstract

The activity of pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (PyNPase) was analyzed in thirty-six cases of resected breast cancer and 9 cases of resected benign breast tumor. PyNPase is an enzyme which converts 5'-DFUR to 5-FU in tumor tissue and has been reported to be identical to the platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) that has angiogenic activity. PyNPase activity was significantly elevated in cancer and metastatic lymph nodes compared to normal lesions of the same breast. PyNPase activity was higher in T2 and T3 breast cancer than of T1 breast cancer. Furthermore, cases of high PyNPase activity (>200 mu g FU/mg protein/h) were significantly more likely to develop distant metastasis (p<0.01) than those of low PyNPase activity. These results suggest an important role of PyNPase activity in the progression of breast cancer.

• Authors: T Hideshima, J Yamashita, T Maekawa, T Sakai, M Baba, M Ogawa, T Shirakusa
• Journal: Oncology reports (Oncol Rep) 1997 Jul-Aug Vol. 4 Issue 4 Pg. 795-8 ISSN: 1021-335X [Print] Greece
• PMID: 21590142 (Publication Type: Journal Article)