Basal cell-like (triple-negative) breast cancer, a predictor of distant metastasis in African American women.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the basal cell-like molecular breast cancer subtype with respect to locoregional recurrence and distant metastasis in African American women treated for breast cancer.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed of the tumor registry database for all African American women diagnosed and treated for breast cancer from 1998 to 2005 who had assessable data for all 3 markers: estrogen, progesterone, and Her-2/neu.


RESULTS
A total of 372 patients were included in our study sample. Of these, 22 (6.1%) had locoregional recurrence, 35 (9.8%) had distant metastasis, and 301 (84.1%) had no evidence of breast tumor recurrence. The median follow-up time was 36 months. Compared with the other molecular subtypes the basal cell-like subtype showed a statistically significant association to distant metastasis: 15 (42.9%) vs 13 (37.1%), 4 (11.4%), and 3 (8.6%) (P < .001), respectively, for luminal A, Her-2/neu, and luminal B subtypes. The basal cell-like subtype was an independent predictor of distant metastasis (odds ratio, 5.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-22.0, P = .009). The molecular subtypes showed no statistically significant difference with respect to locoregional treatment administered and tumor stage at time of diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The basal cell-like molecular breast cancer subtype is an independent predictor of distant metastasis in African American women.
Ihemelandu
Chukwuemeka U
CU
Howard University College of Medicine, Department of Surgery, 2041 Georgia Ave., Washington, DC 20060, USA.
Naab
Tammey J
TJ
Mezghebe
Haile M
HM
Makambi
Kepher H
KH
Siram
Suryanarayana M
SM
Leffall
Lasalle D
LD
Dewitty
Robert L
RL
Frederick
Wayne A
WA
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011336:Probability; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis