Nestin is expressed in basal-like and triple negative breast cancers.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the distribution of nestin expression in different breast tumours and to determine the prognostic impact of nestin expression.


METHODS
Nestin expression was immunohistochemically analysed in a cohort of 245 invasive breast cancer patients treated with therapeutic surgery followed by anthracycline-based chemotherapy using a semi-quantitative scoring system.


RESULTS
Nestin was exclusively expressed in grade III breast carcinoma and preferentially expressed in basal-like and triple negative cancers. Nestin-positive tumours displayed high proliferation rates and p53 nuclear expression. Lymph-node positive patients with nestin-positive cancers had a shorter breast cancer specific survival; however nestin was not an independent prognostic factor on multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Nestin expression is preferentially found in basal-like and triple negative breast carcinomas. Further studies are warranted to define the biological role played by nestin in these subgroups of breast cancers.
Parry
S
S
Molecular Pathology Laboratory, The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
Savage
K
K
Marchiò
C
C
Reis-Filho
J S
JS
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015870:Gene Expression; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D064231:Nestin / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D040081:Protein Array Analysis
D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D064231:Nestin