Cytosolic levels of TFF1/pS2 in breast cancer: Their relationship with clinical-pathological parameters and their prognostic significance.
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.
Corte
Maria D
MD
Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
Tamargo
Francisco
F
Alvarez
Ana
A
Rodríguez
J C
JC
Vázquez
J
J
Sánchez
Rosario
R
Lamelas
Maria L
ML
González
L O
LO
Allende
Maria T
MT
García-Muñiz
J L
JL
Fueyo
A
A
Vizoso
F
F
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*
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C051838:TFF1 protein, human; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins