A significant correlation between nuclear CXCR4 expression and axillary lymph node metastasis in hormonal receptor negative breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
In breast cancer, the expression pattern of CXCR4 may be correlated with the degree of axillary lymph node involvement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contributing factors that contribute to the correlation between CXCR4 expression and axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer.


METHODS
Between August 1997 and August 2002, sections of paraffin-embedded tissue were obtained from 107 patients who received optimal treatment for breast cancer. The expression of CXCR4 was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
A significant correlation was found in the expression of nuclear CXCR4 and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.03). We found a significant correlation between a high nuclear expression of CXCR4 and axillary lymphatic metastasis in estrogen and progesterone receptor negative breast cancer (P = 0.01 and P = 0.01). There was a significant correlation between the high expression of nuclear CXCR4 and axillary lymphatic metastasis in comparisons between positive estrogen and/or progesterone receptor expression and negative expression (P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that high expression of nuclear CXCR4 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. The high expression of nuclear CXCR4 in hormone receptor negative breast cancer was associated with a high possibility of lymph node metastasis.
Woo
Sang Uk
SU
Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, #126-1 Anam Dong 5 Ga, Sung Buck Gu, Seoul, 136-705, Republic of Korea.
Bae
Jeoung Won
JW
Kim
Chul Hwan
CH
Lee
Jae Bok
JB
Koo
Byum Whan
BW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone