@article{
author = "Ivanović, Vesna and Todorović-Raković, N and Demajo, Miroslav and Nešković-Konstantinović, Zora and Subota, Vesna and Ivanišević-Milovanović, Olivera and Nikolić-Vukosavljević, Dragica",
year = "2003",
abstract = "We examined the association between an elevated plasma TGF-beta(1) level and the disease progression of advanced breast cancer (BC) patients (n = 44). TGF-beta(1) levels were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Platelet carryover and in vitro platelet activation in our plasma samples was assessed and found to be insignificant. Plasma TGF-beta(1) values were significantly elevated (P LT 0.05) in stage IIIB/IV patients (median value: 2.40 ng/ml, range: 0.13-8.48 ng/ml, n=44) compared with healthy donors (median value: 1.30 ng/ml, range: 0.41-4.93 ng/ml, n=36). Although pronounced in metastatic patients, especially those who had been newly diagnosed, TGF- and beta;(1) elevation was independent of tumour mass, site of distant metastases, histopathological type, steroid receptor (SR) content and age of the BC patients. Follow-up of 6 patients indicated a relationship between the plasma TGF- and beta;(1) and the patients response. This suggests that TGF- and beta;(1), may be a promising prognostic marker for breast cancer patients with advanced disease. Confirmatory large-scale studies are needed, particularly given the overlap of values between our different subgroups analysed.",
journal = "European Journal of Cancer",
title = "Elevated plasma levels of transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) in patients with advanced breast cancer: association with disease progression",
volume = "39",
number = "4",
pages = "454-461",
doi = "10.1016/S0959-8049(02)00502-6"
}