Influence of a dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy on sVCAM-1/sICAM-1 serum levels in breast cancer patients with 1-3 positive lymph nodes.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of conventional and dose-dense chemotherapy on serum levels of soluble adhesion molecules sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in node-positive patients with breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were measured in the blood serum of 147 patients with breast cancer and with 1 to 3 affected lymph nodes prior to and after conventional or dose-dense chemotherapy within a randomized phase III study (NOGGO trial).

RESULTS

The increase in sICAM-1 (p<0.0001) and sVCAM-1 (p<0.001) levels after chemotherapy was statistically significant within the entire sample and the dose-dense study arm. sVCAM-1 levels were not altered by conventional chemotherapy, but were markedly and significantly increased after the dose-dense regimen. Higher sICAM-1 concentrations were found in postmenopausal patients, and the difference was significant before, but not after treatment. There was no significant correlation with other prognostic criteria.

CONCLUSION

Both sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 levels changed significantly after adjuvant chemotherapy, the effect being more marked under the dose-dense regimen. The possible prognostic relevance of adhesion molecule concentration and the effect of different modes of chemotherapy remains to be determined.