Androgen Receptor (AR), E-Cadherin, and Ki-67 as Emerging Targets and Novel Prognostic Markers in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Patients

Giuseppina Rosaria Rita Ricciardi, Barbara Adamo, Antonio Ieni, Luana Licata, Roberta Cardia, Giuseppa Ferraro, Tindara Franchina, Giovanni Tuccari and Vincenzo Adamo

PLOS ONE, 2015, vol. 10, issue 6, 1-11

Abstract: Background: TNBC is an aggressive subset of breast cancer (BC) without specific target therapy. Methods: This observational, retrospective study included 45 cases of TNBC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of the AR, E-cadherin and Ki-67 in relation to histological type, time to relapse and overall survival (OS). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was carried out on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples obtained from patients defined TNBC. Results: The AR was positive (IHC >10%) in 26.6%. E-cadherin (CDH1) expression was considered positive if the score was ≥ 2. This expression was negative in 53.3% cases. The Ki-67 index was ≥ 20% in 37.7%. Univariate analyses showed that AR, CDH1 and Ki-67 are significantly associated with OS. Multivariate analysis showed that AR and Ki-67 expression are independent variables associated with OS. The statistical analysis showed that patients with AR negative and Ki-67 positive expression have a significant correlation with poor outcome. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the combination of AR and E-cadherin expression as well as Ki-67 status might be useful prognostic markers in TNBC. Hence, these molecular determinants could play an interesting role to classify subgroups of TNBC.

Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0128368

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128368

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