Immunohistochemical biomarkers in patients with early-onset breast carcinoma by tissue microarray

Cancer J. 2005 Sep-Oct;11(5):404-11. doi: 10.1097/00130404-200509000-00008.

Abstract

Young women with breast cancer have a poor prognosis, and the role of biologic markers in young women is not well defined. We investigated the association of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, Bcl-2, HER-2/neu, p53, and Ki-67 with clinicopathologic features and outcome in young women with breast cancer.

Methods: A cohort of 103 patients with early-onset breast cancer treated with conservative surgery and radiotherapy were entered in this study. Age range was 25-45 years, and median follow-up was 8.7 years. Each of the paraffin-embedded specimens was immunologically stained for six biomarkers expression by a recently developed tissue microarray method.

Results: The 10-year overall breast relapse-free and distant relapse-free survival rates were 82.7%, 84.6.4%, and 66.7%, respectively, with 14 local relapses and 26 distant metastases among the 103 patients evaluated. Positive expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, bcl-2, HER-2/neu, p53, and Ki-67 were 42.7%, 48.5%, 35.6%, 28.0%, 36.9%, and 39.7%, respectively. Tumor stage and nodal status were significantly associated with overall survival and distant metastasis-free rate in univariate and multivariate analysis. Progesterone receptor negativity and Ki-67 positivity were associated with distant metastasis. There was no statistically significant correlation between the six biomarkers and local relapse.

Conclusions: Progesterone receptor, Ki-67, tumor stage, and nodal status were prognostic factors for distant failure in early-stage breast cancer in young patients. Further studies are needed to find other biologic markers associated with local failure in this group of patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / chemistry*
  • Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / mortality
  • Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / pathology
  • Adult
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / chemistry*
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Ki-67 Antigen / analysis
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Ductal, Lobular, and Medullary / chemistry*
  • Neoplasms, Ductal, Lobular, and Medullary / mortality
  • Neoplasms, Ductal, Lobular, and Medullary / pathology
  • Protein Array Analysis*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / analysis
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / analysis
  • Receptors, Estrogen / analysis
  • Receptors, Progesterone / analysis
  • Time Factors
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / analysis
  • Women's Health

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Receptors, Progesterone
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Receptor, ErbB-2