[Expression of nm23 in breast cancer: correlation with distant metastasis and prognosis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between expression of nm23 gene and distant metastasis and prognosis in breast cancer.


METHODS
To detect nm23 protein expression in 101 patients with breast cancer by means of immunohistochemistry and nm23 mRNA expression in 68 patients with breast cancer by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Expression of nm23 gene was inversely correlated with distant metastasis and lymph node metastasis. Among 9 patients with negative node but with distant metastasis, 7 had low expression of nm23. In 29 patients with positive nodes but without distant metastasis, 24 had high expression of nm23, while 6 of 6 patients with positive nodes and distant metastasis expressed high levels of nm23 mRNA.


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of nm23 gene, tumor size and status of axillary lymph node are independent prognostic indicators to breast cancer prognosis.
Liu
H
H
Breast Department, Tianjin Cancer Institute & Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjing 300060, China.
Mao
H
H
Fu
X
X
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases; D009701:Nucleoside-Diphosphate Kinase; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C517938:NME1 protein, human; D009701:Nucleoside-Diphosphate Kinase; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins