Abstract 1437: Relationship of G-CSF related bone pain (BP) with Bv8PK2 expression in breast cancer (BC) patients (pts) treated with FEC100 adjuvant chemotherapy (CT)

The Bv8Prokineticins (PKs) are a new family of peptides identified in frog, fish, reptiles and mammals that signal through two highly homologous G-protein coupled receptors, PKR1 and PKR2. Over the past few years, several biological functions of Bv8PK proteins have been elucidated. The high expression level of human Bv8PK2 in bone marrow, lymphoid organs and leukocytes suggested an involvement of these peptides in hematopoiesis and in inflammatory and immunomodulatory processes. Neutrophils are the main endogenous source of Bv8PK2, while G-CSF is the the only cytokine able to activate PK2 expression in neutrophiles. Moreover G-CSF derived pain seems to be stronlgly related to blood levels of Bv8PK. According to these results, we started a clinical experimental trial in order to explore role and expression of Bv8PK proteins in patients treated with chemotherapy for early breast cancer and receiving G-CSF (filgrastim vs peg-filgrastim), investigating also the relationship with G-CSF related pain.