Relationship Between Circulating Tumor Cells and Tissue Plasminogen Activator in Patients with Early Breast Cancer

Abstract

Aim: Cancer increases the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with an increased risk of VTE and, thus, with increased D-dimers as a product of fibrinolysis. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is one of the key enzymes in the fibrinolytic pathway. Its activity is crucial in maintaining the balance between blood coagulation and fibrinolysis. This study aimed to analyze the association between CTCs and tPA in patients with primary breast cancer before surgery.

Patients and methods: This prospective study included 110 patients in whom CTCs were detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction targeted at epithelial (CK19) or epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes[TWIST1, SNAI1, SNAI2, zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), forkhead box protein C2 (FOXC2)]. Plasma tPA protein was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: CTCs were detected in 31 (28.2%) patients. There was no association between plasma tPA and CTCs. Although on average, higher levels of tPA were detected in patients with CTCs expressing EMT-associated genes, this difference did not reach statistical significance. There was no association of plasma tPA with any of the observed patient or tumor characteristics.

Conclusion: Even though the blood coagulation pathway may be activated in more aggressive disease related to an elevated CTC count, in this study, we did not find any association between CTCs and plasma concentrations of tPA.

Keywords: Breast cancer; circulating tumor cells; tissue plasminogen activator.