Prognostic significance of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase expression in breast cancer.
We have investigated dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase expression as a prognostic marker in breast cancer. A total of 119 women with breast cancer undergoing surgery between 1985 and 1996 were included in this study. Eighty-seven patients were treated with postoperative chemotherapy including 5-fluorouracil or 5-fluorouracil derivatives. Fifty-nine (50%) of 119 patients were determined to be immunostaining-positive for dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase. There was no significant difference between dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase staining and tumour size, lymph node status, clinical stage, oestrogen receptor status, histologic grade, or 5-fluorouracil administration. When evaluated in patients treated with 5-fluorouracil or 5-fluorouracil derivatives, patients with dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase-positive tumours had a significantly (P<0.05) poorer disease-free survival compared to those with dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase-negative tumour. No conclusion can be drawn about the prognostic impact of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase status in patients who were not treated with 5-fluorouracil regimes due to the small number of such cases in this series. Lymph node and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase status were independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival, and lymph node status for overall survival using multivariate analysis. In conclusion, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase is a possible prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer treated with 5-fluorouracil or 5-fluorouracil derivatives.
Horiguchi
J
J
Second Department of Surgery, Gunma University Faculty of Medicine, Showa-machi 3-39-15, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan. junhorig@showa.gunma-u.ac.uk
Takei
H
H
Koibuchi
Y
Y
Iijima
K
K
Ninomiya
J
J
Uchida
K
K
Ochiai
R
R
Yoshida
M
M
Yokoe
T
T
Iino
Y
Y
Morishita
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D042943:Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP); D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011379:Prognosis
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D042943:Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP); D005472:Fluorouracil