Data from University of Halle-Wittenberg advance knowledge in breast cancer
2008 JAN 17 -- According to a study from Halle, Germany, "According to established clinicopathological factors, approximately 70% of breast cancer patients without axillary node involvement belong to the group of patients with an intermediate risk of recurrence. In such patients with endocrine responsive disease, the current guidelines suggest either adjuvant chemo-endocrine therapy or endocrine therapy alone." "The challenge is therefore to identify those patients who will not need adjuvant chemotherapy due to their very low risk of recurrence. The plasminogen activator system is a complex system with multiple functions, e.g. cell invasion, angiogenesis and senescence, in a variety of solid tumors. Increased levels of the invasion factors uPA (urokinase-type plasminogen activator) and/or its inhibitor PAI-1 in primary breast cancer tissue have been correlated with a poor outcome. The clinical utility of uPA/PAI-1 has been proven at the highest level of evidence (LoE-1). In the evidence-based, annually updated AGO guidelines on breast cancer management, the German Working Group for Gynecological Oncology (AGO) recommended a combination of both biomarkers as risk-group-classification markers for routine clinical decisions. In addition to being clinically useful for prognostic assessment, the biomarkers may also serve as predictive factors predicting the response to adjuvant chemotherapy. Moreover, specific compounds that interact with the uPA/PAI-1 system are currently in phase II/III development for the treatment of several cancer entities. The ongoing NNBC 3-Europe trial is aimed at validating uPA/PAI-1 for clinical routine risk assessment and optimizing adjuvant chemotherapy in node-negative high-risk patients," wrote M. Vetter and colleagues, University of Halle-Wittenberg. The researchers concluded: "The development and transfer of basic research data for uPA/PAI-1 into clinical practice in two evidence-based clinical trials represents an excellent example of successful translational research." Vetter and colleagues published the results of their research in Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde (Invasion factors uPA and PAI-1 in node-negative breast cancer: Transfer of laboratory data into clinical practice as exemplified by the ongoing NNBC 3-Europe trial. Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde, 2007;67(10):1144-1152). For additional information, contact M. Vetter, University of Halle Wittenberg, University of Klin & Poliklin Gynakol, Ernst Grube Str 40, D-06120 Halle, Germany. The publisher of the journal Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde can be contacted at: Georg Thieme Verlag kg, Rudigerstr 14, D-70469 Stuttgart, Germany. Keywords: Germany, Halle, Angiogenesis, Breast Cancer, Breast Carcinoma, Chemotherapy, Clinical Trial Research, Diagnosis, Diagnostics, Drug Therapy, Drugs, Endocrine, Enzyme Research, Oncology, Pharmaceuticals, Plasminogen, Solid Cancers, Solid Carcinomas, Treatment, Tumor Vascularization, Urokinase, Women's Health, University of Halle-Wittenberg. This article was prepared by Women's Health Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Women's Health Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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