title: Fibroblast growth factor 2 in breast cancer: occurrence and prognostic significance.
abstract: This paper examines the expression of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) in the malignant human breast. Semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to assess the level of expression of FGF-2 in a series of 51 patients clinically followed up for a median of 84 months (Luqmani et al, 1992). Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to show that the level of FGF-2 in breast tissues correlated with the amount of FGF-2 mRNA. FGF-2 was present in both malignant and non-malignant breast, although less was expressed in malignant tissues as determined by all three methods. Immunohistochemistry on frozen sections of breast tissue showed expression of FGF-2 in myoepithelial and epithelial cells in non-malignant samples and generally lower or undetectable levels of staining in malignant epithelial cells. The results obtained by immunohistochemistry correlated well with RT-PCR data showing similar levels of FGF-2 and FGF-2 mRNA expression in samples. No correlation was found between FGF-2 mRNA expression and T stage, nodal status or oestrogen receptor status. However, Kaplan-Meier survival plots show that higher levels of FGF-2 are associated with improved overall and disease-free survival. We suggest that FGF-2 expression may have value as a prognostic indicator in breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yiangou
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gomm
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Coope
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Y A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Luqmani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shousha
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Coombes
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001940:Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2