title: Simultaneous evaluation of maspin and CXCR4 in patients with breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study simultaneously the actions of maspin and CXCR4, which share several similar pathways in cancer, including apoptosis and angiogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our material consisted of 151 invasive breast carcinomas arranged in a tissue microarray setting. Maspin and CXCR4 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Microvessel density was assessed by CD34 immunodetection and apoptosis by the Tdt-mediated dUTP nick end labelling assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maspin expression was related to CXCR4 expression, apoptosis, patient age and the Nottingham prognostic index. The expression of both maspin and CXCR4 progressively increased in high-grade tumours. In patients with lymph node negative breast cancer, maspin overexpression was associated with increased risk of death. High CXCR4 expression was associated with prolonged survival of patients with high maspin expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that maspin overexpression could prove to be a potentially useful marker, especially for the clinically important group of patients with lymph node negative breast cancer. The expression of CXCR4 is of less significance in our study, but may be informative for specific patient subsets or in a longer time frame.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Molecular Carcinogenesis Group, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Efthimia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsoli
authors.forename: Petros K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Tsantoulis
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papalambros
authors.forename: Branko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perunovic
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: England
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rawlands
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vlachodimitropoulos
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Chara A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Spiliopoulou
authors.forename: Thanos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
authors.forename: Vassilis G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Gorgoulis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D040081:Protein Array Analysis / Q000379:methods; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015843:Serpins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; C085344:SERPIN-B5; D015843:Serpins