Circulating apoptotic proteins are increased in long-term disease-free breast cancer survivors

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Dot plots of circulating soluble apoptosis-related proteins of the TNF-superfamily and HER2 in breast cancer survivors and healthy age-matched controls. Lines represent median values for TNFα and mean for sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2, sFas, sFas ligand, sTRAIL and HER2. A. TNFα (pg/mL), B. sTNF-R1 (ng/mL), C. sTNF-R2 (ng/mL), D. sFas (ng/mL), E. sFas ligand (pg/mL), F. sTRAIL (pg/mL), G. HER2 ECD(pg/mL)

Table I.  Circulating soluble apoptosis markers whole population (median follow-up 6.0 years).

	Controls (n = 12)	Breast cancer survivors (n = 34)	p-value
TNFα (pg/mL)	0.6 (0.3–3.3)	1.4 (0.5–15.7)	0.028
sTNF-R1 (ng/mL)	0.9 (0.7–1.3)	0.8 (0.5–1.6)	0.587
sTNF-R2 (ng/mL)	1.9 (±0.4)	2.3 (±0.7)	0.051
sFas (ng/mL)	8.0 (6.5–11.8)	10.1 (6.4–16.2)	0.009
sFas ligand (pg/mL)	64 (±22)	80 (±20)	0.029
sTRAIL (pg/mL)	71 (±28)	97 (±37)	0.029
HER2 ECD (ng/mL)	9.4 (±1.7)	11.1 (±1.8)	0.005
HS-CRP (mg/L)	1.0 (0.2–4.8)	1.6 (0.2–6.8)	0.341
Fibrinogen (g/L)	3.0 (±0.5)	3.3 (±0.5)	0.119
BNP (pmol/L)	4.0 (1.0–9.5)	5.6 (0.8–25.5)	0.476
BNP >10 pmol/L	–	8
NT-ANP (pmol/L)	255 (118–426)	273 (121–557)	0.532
NT-ANP >500 pmol/L	–	2

Data are expressed as median (range) or mean (±SD).

Table II.  Circulating soluble apoptosis markers in relation to treatment (median follow-up 6.0 years).

		Treatment		P-values
	Controls (n = 12)	5× FEC (n = 13)	4× FEC + CTC (n = 18)	5× FEC vs. controls	4× FEC + CTC vs. Controls	5× FEC vs. 4× FEC + CTC
TNFα (pg/mL)	0.6 (0.3–3.3)	2.4 (0.5–15.7)	1.2 (0.5–9.8)	0.041	0.087	0.622
sTNF-R1 (ng/mL)	0.9 (0.7–1.3)	0.8 (0.5–1.4)	0.8 (0.6–1.6)	0.252	0.819	0.258
sTNF-R2 (ng/mL)	1.9 (±0.4)	2.0 (±0.5)	2.4 (0.7)	0.368	0.027	0.131
sFas (ng/mL)	8.0 (6.5–11.8)	8.6 (6.5–12.0)	10.5 (6.4–16.2)	0.271	<0.001	0.051
sFas ligand (pg/mL)	64 (±22)	71 (±16)	86 (±22)	0.332	0.013	0.043
sTRAIL (pg/mL)	71 (±28)	82 (±21)	112 (±42)	0.323	0.005	0.024
HER2 ECD (ng/mL)	9.4 (±1.7)	10.8 (±2.1)	11.4 (±1.7)	0.056	0.003	0.381
HS-CRP (mg/L)	1.0 (0.2–4.8)	1.8 (0.3–4.9)	1.1 (0.2–6.4)	0.225	0.632	0.441
Fibrinogen (g/L)	3.0 (±0.5)	3.3 (±0.3)	3.3 (±0.5)	0.131	0.113	0.793
BNP (pmol/L)	4.0 (1.0–9.5)	6.6 (3.2–15.0)	3.8 (0.8–25.5)	0.087	0.917	0.125
NT-ANP (pmol/L)	255 (118–426)	313 (158–577)	268 (121–557)	0.266	0.983	0.185
Platinum (pg/g plasma)	–	–	64 (17–223)	–	–	–

Data are presented as median (range) or mean (±SD).

Figure 2.  Dot plot of serum platinum concentrations (pg/g) in relation to the time since the start of chemotherapy in months after the start of 4× FEC + CTC treatment (n = 18). Line, R and P value represent Pearson correlation coefficient.