title: High BRCA2 mRNA expression predicts poor prognosis in breast cancer patients.
abstract: The prognostic significance of BRCA2 mRNA levels in tumor tissues was studied in sporadic breast cancer patients. BRCA2 mRNA levels were determined by real-time PCR. Histologic grade III tumors showed significantly (p = 0.001) higher BRCA2 mRNA levels (0.828 +/- 0.102 BRCA2/beta-glucuronidase mRNA ratio, mean +/- SE) than histologic grade I and II tumors (0.438 +/- 0.055) and estrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumors (0.773 +/- 0.102) showed a nonsignificant (p = 0.072) trend toward an increase in BRCA2 mRNA levels compared to ER-positive tumors (0.541 +/- 0.079). Other clinicopathologic parameters, such as menopausal status, lymph node status and tumor size, were not significantly associated with BRCA2 mRNA levels. Patients with high BRCA2 mRNA levels showed a significantly (p = 0.006) lower 5-year disease free survival rate (63%) than those with low levels (94%). Lymph node metastases, ER negativity and high histologic grade were also significantly (p < 0.05) associated with poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis revealed that BRCA2 mRNA levels were a significant prognostic factor, being independent of the other conventional prognostic factors. Our results suggest that BRCA2 mRNA levels might serve as a clinically useful prognostic factor in breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Chiyomi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Egawa
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Shinzaburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noguchi
mesh_terms: D024682:BRCA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008593:Menopause; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D024682:BRCA2 Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen