Breast Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Breast Cancer, including details on symptoms, genetics, screening, treatment, information. | ||||||||
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Serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor in patients with liver metastases from breast cancer.Eichbaum MH, de Rossi TM, Kaul S, Bruckner T, Schneeweiss A, Sohn C Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Heidelberg Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany. Michael_Eichbaum@med.uni-heidelberg.de OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have shown that the pleiotropic cytokine hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) and its receptor c-Met play major roles in the malignant progression of numerous tumors. For patients with breast cancer liver metastases, increased serum levels of HGF/SF have been reported. We studied the relationship between the clinical course of the disease and the serum levels of HGF/SF in such patients. METHODS: We examined 51 patients treated for breast cancer liver metastases. Serum concentrations of HGF/SF were measured before each therapy cycle and compared to the corresponding tumor marker levels. RESULTS: Mean serum levels of HGF/SF in patients with liver metastases were increased above the reported reference levels of primary breast cancer patients. Serum levels of HGF/SF were correlated with tumor marker levels in a logarithmic relation (r = 0.47, p < 0.001). In some cases serum concentrations of HGF/SF changed similarly to the course of the corresponding tumor markers. CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of HGF/SF are associated with the clinical course of metastatic breast cancer patients with liver metastases. Further studies are required to clarify the potential value of the HGF/SF serum concentration as a tumor marker. HGF/SF and its receptor c-Met should be further evaluated as therapeutic targets. Published 2 January 2007 in Tumour Biol, 28(1): 36-44.
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