[Prognostic value of thymidine kinase in cancer of the breast].

We have measured by a radioenzymatic assay the thymidine kinase in the cytosol of 182 primary infiltrating breast cancers. Maximal follow-up is 95 months. Thymidine kinase was found to be related to SBR grade, tumour size and absence of oestradiol receptors (RE). Univariate analysis has pointed out a significant linkage between overall or metastase free survival and thymidine kinase, using a cut-off level of 80 mU/mg protein which is the most discriminating value. Thymidine kinase appeared to be particularly useful in lymph-node-positive, RE-negative and grade 3 patients. Multivariate analysis of the overall survival and of the metastase free survival (Cox model) revealed that they were strongly related to thymidine kinase status.