Prognostic significance of RASSF1A promoter methylation in operable breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of RASSF1A promoter methylation status in operable breast cancer.


METHODS
By using Methylation Specific PCR, we evaluated the specificity of RASSF1A promoter methylation in 10 breast tumors and matching normal tissues, 10 breast fibroadenomas and 11 normal breast tissues. The prognostic significance of RASSF1A methylation was validated in 93 formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues obtained from patients with operable breast cancer.


RESULTS
Methylation of RASSF1A promoter was observed in 1/31 (3.2%) non-cancerous breast tissues and 53/93 (57.0%) early stage breast tumors. The only positive sample in the non-cancerous breast tissues group was found in a histological normal tissue surrounding the tumor. During the follow-up period, 24/93 (25.8%) patients relapsed and 19/93 (20.4%) died. Disease-Free-Interval (DFI) was significantly associated with RASSF1A methylation (p=0.028).


CONCLUSIONS
RASSF1A promoter methylation provides important prognostic information in early stage breast cancer patients.
Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Athens, 15771, Greece.
Magdalini
M
Kioulafa
Loukas
L
Kaklamanis
Dimitris
D
Mavroudis
Vassilis
V
Georgoulias
Evi S
ES
Lianidou
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012008:Recurrence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
C411762:RASSF1 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins