Prognostic significance of the serum level of different growth factors and their correlation with estrogen receptors in patients with locally advanced breast cancer

Although several growth factors interact with estrogens in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, our current knowledge regarding the development and progression of this malignancy is still limited. The goal of this study was to determine the levels of 8 growth factors involved in tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis in the serum of patients with different histological grade breast cancer and tumour stage classified between IIA-IIIB. These factors are: platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), angiogenin (ANG), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT-2). We also compared the results with the expression of estrogens receptors in human breast carcinoma tissues. Our results have shown differences in serum concentration between patients with breast cancer and control groups for KGF, ANGPT-2, PDGF-BB and TIMP-1. Only the KGF level has shown correlation with the tumour stage, whereas the correlation between estrogens expression and angiogenic molecules was found only for ANGPT-2. Our data suggested that the serum level of KGF, ANGPT-2, PDGF, TIMP-1 could provide information about tumour invasiveness with a potential prognostic value in advanced local breast cancer.