[Correlation of BRCA1 and APC aberrant methylation with the response to anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in primary breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the correlation of hypermethylation of BRCA1 and APC gene promoters with the response to anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in primary breast cancer.


METHODS
One hundred and forty patients with primary breast cancer received anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and pretreatment hypermethylation status of BRCA1 and APC genes promoters was detected by methylation-specific PCR.


RESULTS
Of the 140 patients, 30 (21.4%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR), and methylation rates of BRCA1 and APC gene promoters were 21.4% (30/140) and 18.3% (24/131), respectively. Among the 110 patients with unmethylated BRCA1 gene, 28 (25.5%) achieved pCR, while in the 30 patients with methylated BRCA1 gene, only 2 (6.7%) had a pCR, with a significant difference between the two groups (chi(2) = 4.94, P = 0.026). However, no statistically significant correlation was found between the methylation of APC gene and pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in this cohort of patients (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Primary breast cancer with an unmethylated BRCA1 gene is prone to achieve a pathological complete response to anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy than those with a methylated BRCA1 gene. BRCA1 methylation status may be a useful predictor for anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in primary breast cancer patients.
Yuan
Peng
P
Peking University School of Oncology, Beijing Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
Xu
Ye
Y
Ouyang
Tao
T
Wang
Tian-feng
TF
Fan
Zhao-qing
ZQ
Fan
Tie
T
Lin
Ben-yao
BY
Xie
Yun-tao
YT
Li
Jin-feng
JF
D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012074:Remission Induction; D055815:Young Adult
D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein; D018943:Anthracyclines; D019313:BRCA1 Protein; D015251:Epirubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil