Abstract | BACKGROUND: METHOD: The study comprised 1033 women with histologically established invasive breast cancer. Cathepsin D was measured in cytosol samples by means of an immunoradiometric assay to determine the total amount of cathepsin D (52 kDa, 48 kDa and 34 kDa). Evaluation of relapse-free survival and cause-specific survival was performed in the group of 1003 patients without evidence of metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis. The median follow-up of the patients who were free of recurrence was 54 months. RESULTS:
Cathepsin D levels showed a wide range among the studied tumors (n = 1033; median (range) 41 (0.9-2504) pmol/mg protein). Statistical analysis showed that the median cathepsin D levels were considerably higher in large tumors (T2-4) than in smaller ones (T1) (p = 0.017), as well as in node-positive than in node-negative tumors (p = 0.004). Cathepsin D levels were also higher in ductal tumors than in the other histological types (p = 0.001), as well as in moderately or poorly differentiated tumors (p < 0.001). Likewise, the median value of the protease was significantly higher in ER or PgR-positive tumors than in hormone receptor-negative ones (p = 0.011 and p = 0.004, respectively), as well as in aneuploid tumors than in diploid tumors (p = 0.029). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevated cathepsin D levels (> 59 pmol/mg protein) were notably associated with a shorter cause-specific survival in the whole group of patients with breast cancer, as well as in the subgroup of node-positive patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that elevated intratumoral cathepsin D levels may identify a subset of node-positive breast cancer patients showing a high probability of earlier death.
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Authors | J Rodríguez, J Vázquez, M D Corte, M Lamelas, M Bongera, M G Corte, A Alvarez, M Allende, L Gonzalez, M Sánchez, M Vijande, J Garcia Muñiz, F Vizoso |
Journal | The International journal of biological markers
(Int J Biol Markers)
2005 Apr-Jun
Vol. 20
Issue 2
Pg. 103-11
ISSN: 0393-6155 [Print] United States |
PMID | 16011040
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Receptors, Estrogen
- Receptors, Progesterone
- Cathepsin D
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Topics |
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Breast Neoplasms
(enzymology, mortality)
- Cathepsin D
(analysis)
- Cytosol
(enzymology)
- Female
- Humans
- Middle Aged
- Multivariate Analysis
- Prognosis
- Receptors, Estrogen
(analysis)
- Receptors, Progesterone
(analysis)
- Survival Rate
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