title: Expression of estrogen receptor beta wild-type and its variant ERbetacx/beta2 is correlated with better prognosis in breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical value of estrogen receptor (ER) beta and its variants has been investigated. However, reported results have frequently been discordant.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated mRNA and protein expression of ERbeta wild type (ERbeta1) and its variant, ERbetacx/beta2, by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry in 150 breast cancer tissues, and analyzed association between their expression and clinicopathological factors and prognosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ERbeta1 mRNA expression was significantly correlated with progesterone receptor expression and low histological grade. ERbeta1 protein expression was significantly correlated with small tumor size, negative lymph node status and low histological grade. ERbetacx/beta2 protein expression was significantly correlated with ERalpha expression and low histological grade. Patients with high expression of ERbeta1 or ERbetacx/beta2 had a significantly better disease-free and overall survival than those with low expression. In multivariate analysis, ERbetacx/beta2 mRNA expression was identified as a prognostic factor in disease-free and overall survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that ERbetacx/beta2 mRNA expression is an independent prognostic factor in breast cancer. ERbeta expression status, both wild-type and the variant cx/beta2, might represent significant predictors of breast cancer prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Oncology, Immunology and Surgery, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kawasumi 1, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Zhenhuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shunzo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger