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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Breast Cancer | Research article

Impact of uPA/PAI-1 and disseminated cytokeratin-positive cells in breast cancer

Authors: Bruno Märkl, Martin Kazik, Nadia Harbeck, Elzbieta Jakubowicz, Reinhard Hoffmann, Thomas Jung, Dieter Steinfeld, Gerhard Schenkirsch, Günter Schlimok, Daniel Oruzio

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

The protease uPA and its inhibitor PAI-1 play major roles in hemostasis and are also involved in cancer progression. This is mainly caused by their ability to degrade extracellular matrix-facilitating tumor cell migration. This study aimed to investigate the impact of uPA/PAI-1 and disseminated cytokeratin-positive cells (dCK+) on the outcome and the existence of synergistic effects.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 480 breast cancer cases with known uPA/PAI-1 and dCK+ status. uPA/PAI-1 was tested on fresh tumor samples using a commercial ELISA test. Bone marrow aspirates were investigated immunocytochemically for CK18.

Results

DCK+ cells were identified in 23% of cases. uPA positivity was significantly associated with the occurrence of dCK+ cells (P = 0.028). uPA and PAI-1 were significantly associated with outcome in the subgroup of early-stage cases without chemotherapy. DCK+ cells alone were not prognostic. However, we found synergistic effects. In the subgroup of node-negative cases with and without chemotherapy, the prognostic impact of uPA and PAI-1 was enhanced in cases with additional dCK-positivity (triple +). In cases without chemotherapy, triple-positive status was independently prognostic (HR: 9.3 CI: 1.1–75) next to T stage.

Conclusions

uPA and PAI-1 seem to influence the metastatic potential of dCK+ cells, which underlines its important role in tumor progression.
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Metadata
Title
Impact of uPA/PAI-1 and disseminated cytokeratin-positive cells in breast cancer
Authors
Bruno Märkl
Martin Kazik
Nadia Harbeck
Elzbieta Jakubowicz
Reinhard Hoffmann
Thomas Jung
Dieter Steinfeld
Gerhard Schenkirsch
Günter Schlimok
Daniel Oruzio
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-019-5857-0

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