title: Cytosolic levels of TFF1/pS2 in breast cancer: Their relationship with clinical-pathological parameters and their prognostic significance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Trefoil Factor 1 (TFF1/pS2), a peptide consisting of 60 amino acids, is the most abundant estrogen-induced messenger RNA present in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The objective of this work was to evaluate the cytosolic TFF1 content in breast carcinomas, its possible relationship with different clinical-pathological parameters, and its potential prognostic significance and predictive value.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytosolic TFF1 levels were examined by immunoradiometric assay in 1031 patients with invasive breast cancer. The median follow-up period was of 50 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a wide variability of cytosolic TFF1 levels in tumors (0.9-743.2 ng/mg protein). Statistical analysis showed that TFF1 levels were significantly higher in premenopausal patients (p = 0.001), as well as in tumors showing any of the following characteristics: good differentiation (p = 0.0001), ER and PgR positivity (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.001, respectively), diploidy (p = 0.045) and a high S-phase fraction (p = 0.001). In addition, the presence of high intratumoral TFF1 levels (cut-off: 2 ng/mg protein) was independently associated with a shorter overall survival in the group of patients as a whole (p = 0.001) as well as in the subgroup with node-negative breast cancer (p = 0.0004). Likewise, high intratumoral TFF1 levels were associated with a more prolonged overall survival in patients who received adjuvant tamoxifen (p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In breast cancer patients, intratumoral TFF1 levels are associated with a better clinical outcome, especially in those with node-negative tumors. In addition, TFF1 levels have a low but significant predictive value in regards to response to adjuvant therapy with tamoxifen.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Corte
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tamargo
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lamelas
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Allende
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: García-Muñiz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fueyo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vizoso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D017697:Premenopause; D011379:Prognosis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C051838:TFF1 protein, human; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins