abstract |
The present invention relates to methods for determining a treatment regimen beyond removal of tumor tissue for node negative or node positive breast cancer patient. The method comprises measuring the levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator-1 (PAI-1) in a subject, preferably a tumor; and based upon the values, predicting the expected benefit including disease-free survival and/or overall survival for the patient without treatment (beyond the surgical removal of tumor tissue) or with a particular treatment and using that information to select a treatment regimen for the subject. High risk subject is identified by high levels of both uPA and PAI-1, high level of uPA and low level of PAI-1 or, low level of uPA and high level of PAI-1. Treatment options for high risk subjects include, but are not limited to, adjuvant CMF chemotherapy, adjuvant non-CMF chemotherapy, adjuvant endocrine therapy, adjuvant anthracyclin-containing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and gene therapy. Treatment options for low risk subjects include, but are not limited to, no treatment, radiation, and adjuvant endocrine therapy. |