Increased H₂O₂ level in exhaled breath condensate in primary breast cancer patients

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 2010-06, Vol.136 (6), p.923-930
• Main Authors: Stolarek, Robert A, Potargowicz, Elżbieta, Sęklewska, Ewa, Jakubik, Jarosław, Lewandowski, Marek, Jeziorski, Arkadiusz, Nowak, Dariusz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic agents; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Axilla; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breath Tests; Cancer Research; Case-Control Studies; Cellular biology; Chemical compounds; Cytokines; Female; FMN Reductase - blood; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hematology; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry; Internal Medicine; Lymphatic Metastasis; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Oncology; Original Paper; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plasma - enzymology; Receptor, ErbB-2 - metabolism; Respiration; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Tumors
• ISSN: 0171-5216; 1432-1335
• DOI: 10.1007/s00432-009-0734-x

Purpose This study was designed to assess exhaled hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), blood serum antioxidant capacity, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) in primary breast cancer (PBC). Methods The study included 34 consecutive, non-smoking PBC patients (aged 62.5 ± 13.5 at surgery) prior to the treatments, qualified for modified radical mastectomy and not undergoing any adjuvant systemic therapy, and 33 healthy controls. The post surgery pathological assessment included tissue expression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors, and epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER-2/neu). Exhaled H₂O₂ was determined fluorometrically in the exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Blood serum antioxidant capacity and TNFα levels were assessed with ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and ELISA immunoassay, respectively. Results In PBC patients, 10 ER, 11 PR, and 9 HER-2/neu positive tumors were identified and HER-2/neu score was 2+ in 20% of all tumors. Median (Me) H₂O₂ was increased up to 0.44 μM (interquartile range IR: 0.20-1.25 μM) compared with healthy control of 0.36 μM (IR: 0.12-0.48 μM; p < 0.05). The H₂O₂ concentration in EBC was significantly correlated (τ = 0.27; p = 0.03) and increased in cases with nodal metastases (n = 12; p = 0.04). Serum TNFα was increased up to 51.7 ± 21.0 pg/ml compared with controls 17.2 ± 3.65 pg/ml (p < 0.05). FRAP was increased to 1.41 ± 0.37 mM Fe²⁺ compared with control 1.19 ± 0.17 mM Fe²⁺; (p = 0.006). Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate increased H₂O₂ in exhaled breath condensate in patients with localized breast malignancy and its relation with clinical severity.