Plasminogen activator system type-urokinase and its prognostic impact of a dissemination risk index in breast cancer.

Among the proteases involved in the tumor invasion process, components of the plasminogen activator system (plasminogen activator type-urokinase uPA, its membrane receptor uPAR and its two inhibitors PAI-1 and PAI-2) appear to define high risk patients in primary breast cancer. As individual analysis of each component of the plasminogen activator system does not reflect the complex interactions between the different components, we studied the prognostic impact of a dissemination risk index combining the four variables. We found that this index was the most powerfull prognostic factor, particularly in node-negative patients. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.