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.

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.

Clinical significance of serum tenascin-C levels in breast cancer.

Tenascin-C (TNC) is a key molecule in tissue remodeling, and high levels are observed in many diseases, including heart failure, thrombosis, atherosclerosis, and cancer. High TNC expression by immunohistochemical analysis has been shown in invasive and metastasizing tissues from a variety of cancers, including colon, lung, brain, and breast. This study was conducted to investigate the serum level of TNC in breast cancer patients and its relationship with tumor progression and known prognostic parameters. Ninety-six breast cancer patients were enrolled into the study. Serum samples were obtained on first admission before adjuvant and metastatic treatments were given and at follow-up. Serum TNC levels were determined by the solid-phase sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Median age of diagnosis was 48 years old (range, 29-80). Thirty-seven (39 %) patients had metastatic breast cancer. The mean TNC levels were found to be significantly higher in patients with breast cancer (344.1 ± 42.4 pg/mL) compared to those in healthy controls (137.2 ± 26.8 pg/mL) (p = 0.005). Serum TNC level in grade 3 tumors was found to be significantly higher than in grades 1-2 tumors (p = 0.04). No correlation was detected between serum TNC levels and other prognostic parameters analyzed, including presence of metastasis, lymph node involvement, and tumor size. Serum TNC level had no significantly adverse effect on survival in univariate and multivariate analyses (p = 0.65 and p = 0.85, respectively). In conclusion, although serum TNC levels are elevated, it has no predictive or prognostic roles on survival in breast cancer patients.

Postoperative hypofractionated radiotherapy in glioblastoma multiforme.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT) in glioblastoma multiforme (GM) patients in terms of overall and progression-free survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adult patients with GM were prospectively treated with HRT after total, subtotal or partial tumor excision. HRT was applied 3 days a week with a tumor dose of 3.33 Gy per fraction. At the first phase of treatment 12 fractions and at the second phase 3 fractions with smaller fields were delivered. The total dose was 50 Gy/15 fractions/5 weeks. The results were compared with a historical control group of GM patients treated with conventional RT. RESULTS: 20 patients with GM were treated between 1997-2000 at our department. The tumor was multifocal in one (5%) case. The types of operations used were total tumor excision 10(50%) cases, subtotal excision 5 (25%) cases and partial excision 5 (25%) cases. For the historical control group the corresponding operations were 19 (56%), 6 (18%) and 9 (26%). In the study group one-year survival was 50% and median survival 12 months. Mean overall survival was 13.5 (11.3 months for the historical control group, p=0.16) and progression-free survival 6.8 months (5.6 for the historical control group, p=0.36). Treatment was well tolerated. Acute toxicity was minimal and only one HRT patient had late toxicity (brain necrosis). CONCLUSION: The mean overall survival with HRT was better but statistically non significant compared with the historical control group. Our study supports that HRT can be used instead of conventional and hyperfractionated radiotherapy and studies of HRT with higher doses may be meaningful.