ABSTRACT
AIM: To explore the potential prognostic value of cyclin D1 in invasive breast cancer and its correlation with basic histopathological parameters, hormonal status (estrogen [ER] and progesterone receptor [PR]), and bcl-2. METHODS: Medical records of 48 patients, diagnosed in 1998, from the Central Database of the Institute of Oncology, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, were analyzed. The mean follow-up was 61 months (range: 4-103 months). Routine histopathological evaluation was performed for 48 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue samples. For immunohistochemical staining, we used monoclonal antibodies for ER, PR, bcl-2, and cyclin D1. RESULTS: Cyclin D1 expression inversely correlated with tumor grade (P=0.010) and tumor size (P=0.023), whereas significant positive association was found with ER (P=0.001) and bcl-2 (P=0.001) expression. Patients with higher cyclin D1 expression had longer both overall survival (P=0.014) and relapse-free survival (P=0.037). Cox regression analysis for overall survival (OS) showed that lymph node status, ER expression, therapy, and cyclin D1 expression were independent prognostic factors. (P range from 0.003 to 0.04). CONCLUSION: Expression of cyclin D1 is associated with better disease outcome in breast cancer.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/metabolism , Cyclin D1/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/pathology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Middle Aged , Prognosis , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism , Receptors, Estrogen/metabolismABSTRACT
Bcl-2, the protein product of the Bcl-2 gene, is a member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins that play a crucial role in a complex mechanism of apoptosis. It was recently proposed that bcl-2 could inhibit cancer progression. In this study, we evaluated the expression patterns of Bcl-2, estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) in 71 primary invasive breast carcinomas and their association with other clinicopathological parameters. Samples from 71 patients with invasive breast cancer with follow-up ranging from 4-103 months (median 57 months) were included in the study. Forty-six patients (66%) obtained a complete response, while 5 (9%) were considered non-responders during the follow up period of 103 months. Eighteen (25%) patients died, 15 (21%) from primary disease and 3 (4%) from other disease. In unvaried analysis, tumor size (<2 cm), lymph node (<4 lymph nodes), hormonal status and Bcl-2 expression are correlated with longer overall (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). Patients with 4 or more positive axillary lymph nodes had significantly shorter OS (p=0.01) and RFS (p=0.009). Higher expression of Bcl-2 was associated with longer OS (p=0.02) and RFS (p=0.03), and this result were independent of axillary lymph nodes and tumor size in Cox multivariate analysis.
