Significance of CTEN(C-terminal tensin-like) in invasive breast carcinoma

Zhiyong LIU; Jian YI; Xiaoming ZOU

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To explore C-terminal tensin-like(CTEN) gene in breast cancer tissue and its significance.

Methods:

Explore the prevalence and clinical significance of CTEN expression in invasive breast cancer cases ( n = 1409 ) using immunohistochemistry and tissue microarray.

Results:

The staining pattern for CTEN in breast tumour cells was homogenous cytoplasmic staining. Moderate to strong cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for CTEN was observed in 90% of the studied cases(1268 cases) . CTEN expression was significantly associated with poor prognostic variables including larger tumour size(χ2=4. 254,P=0. 044), higher histological grade(χ2=7. 555,P=0. 019),axillary nodal involvement(χ2=5. 842,P=0. 035),poor Nottingham Prognostic Index (χ2=7. 578,P=0. 016),Local recurrence(χ2=5. 211,P=0. 039),Regional recurrence(χ2=4. 778,P=0. 042),Distant metastases (χ2=4. 780,P=0. 041) and Histological type(χ2=7. 634,P=0. 012). Significant associations were observed between increased CTEN expression and up-regulation of phosphorylated-Akt(P-Akt)(χ2=27. 23,P<0. 001),Phosphoinositide 3 kinase(PIK3)(χ2=37. 22,P<0. 001) and N-cadherin proteins(χ2=26. 91,P<0. 001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that patients with high CTEN ex-pression had significantly shorter Breast Cancer Specific Survival(P=0. 004) and Metastasis-Free Survival(P=0. 041) than those with low-CTEN expression. Multivariate analysis showed that CTEN was not an independent prognostic marker in breast cancer.

Conclusion:

CTEN expression increase is a cancer gene,its association with poor prognostic parameters,and the expression of CTEN associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer parameters.