Cyclin D1 expression in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant tamoxifen-based therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of our study was to determine the clinical relevance of cyclin D1 expression in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients who were treated with tamoxifen-based therapy.


METHODS
We assessed expression of cyclin D1 in surgical specimens of breast carcinoma by means of immunohistochemistry. Patients had been enrolled in either Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG) Trial 05 or ABCSG Trial 06 and received tamoxifen as part of their adjuvant treatment. Overall survival and relapse-free survival were analyzed with Cox models adjusted for clinical and pathologic factors.


RESULTS
Cyclin D1 was expressed in 140 of 253 (55%) tumors of ABCSG Trial 05 and in 569 of 948 (60%) tumors of ABCSG Trial 06. Expression of cyclin D1 was associated with poor outcome in both cohorts. Overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with cyclin D1-positive tumors compared with patients with cyclin D1-negative tumors [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for death (ABCSG Trial 05), 2.47; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.08-5.63; P = 0.03; adjusted HR for death (ABCSG Trial 06), 1.78; 95% CI, 1.36-2.34; P < 0.0001]. Relapse-free survival was also shorter in patients with cyclin D1-positive tumors than in patients with cyclin D1-negative tumors [adjusted HR for relapse (ABCSG Trial 05), 2.73; 95% CI, 1.50-4.96; P = 0.001; adjusted HR for relapse (ABCSG Trial 06), 1.52; 95% CI, 1.14-2.04; P = 0.005].


CONCLUSIONS
Cyclin D1 expression is an independent poor prognostic factor in women with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who received adjuvant tamoxifen-based therapy.
Rudas
Margaretha
M
Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Lehnert
Martina
M
Huynh
Anh
A
Jakesz
Raimund
R
Singer
Christian
C
Lax
Sigurd
S
Schippinger
Walter
W
Dietze
Otto
O
Greil
Richard
R
Stiglbauer
Wolfgang
W
Kwasny
Werner
W
Grill
Renate
R
Stierer
Michael
M
Gnant
Michael F X
MF
Filipits
Martin
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000616:Aminoglutethimide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017273:Goserelin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D012008:Recurrence; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D013629:Tamoxifen; D017273:Goserelin; D000616:Aminoglutethimide; D019938:Cyclin D1; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate