[Expressions of thymidine phosphorylase, thymidylate synthase and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase in breast cancer and their correlations with prognosis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of thymidine phosphorylase (TP), thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) mRNA in breast cancer and its correlation with prognosis.


METHODS
Expression levels of TP, TS and DPD mRNA in 86 micro-selected breast cancer tissues and 9 normal breast tissues were detected by real-time quantitative PCR.


RESULTS
The median expression levels of TP, TS and DPD mRNA in tumor tissue and in normal tissues were 16.54, 0.38, 2.47 and 11.75, 0.25, 8.33, respectively, there were no significant differences (P >0.05). The expression levels of TP, TS and DPD mRNA showed no association with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, pathological grade and clinical stage, except that of DPD showed a negative association with patients' ages. There was no significant difference in disease-free survival or overall survival between the patients with high and low TP or DPD mRNA levels. Disease-free survival tends to be better in the patients with low TS mRNA level than those with high TS mRNA, but the difference was not significant (P=0.069), while the overall survival showed a statistically difference (59.00 month and 70.30 month) (P=0.0496).


CONCLUSIONS
The expression level of TS mRNA may serve as a prognostic marker for breast cancer patients.
Li
Hui-xiang
HX
Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Zh
Suo
S
Zhang
Yun-han
YH
Risberg
Bjørn
B
Karlsson
Mats G
MG
Nesland
Jahn M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001940:Breast / Q000201:enzymology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D042943:Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP) / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015996:Survival Rate; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042943:Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP); D013940:Thymidylate Synthase; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase