title: The prognostic significance of the insulin-like growth factor-1 ligand and receptor expression in breast cancer tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous in vitro studies have suggested that IGF-1 stimulation can lead a more aggressive breast cancers and subsequent poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. We aim to how IGF-1 and IGF-1R mRNA levels in breast cancer are associated with disease-free survival (DFS) and other clinicopathological factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  IGF-1 and IGF-1R mRNA levels were measured in breast cancer tissue from 132 patients using real-time PCR. DFS and clinicopathological information were obtained from patient case notes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IGF-1 and IGF-1R mRNA levels did not correlate with any clinicopathological factors. Patients who relapsed had lower IGF-1 mRNA levels in their tumour tissue compared to those who remained disease-free during the 5-year follow-up period. Patients who had ER-positive breast cancers with high IGF-1 mRNA levels had longer DFS compared to those with low IGF-1 mRNA levels. IGF-1 mRNA levels was not associated with DFS in patients with ER-negative cancers. IGF-1R mRNA levels was not associated with DFS in any subgroup analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that IGF-1 mRNA levels and histopathological grade were independent predictors of DFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breast cancer tissue IGF-1 expression is a favourable prognostic indicator and could be used in clinical setting in planning for adjuvant treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast & Endocrine Surgery, St George's Hospital, Tooting, London, UK. kelvin.ymchong@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kelvin Y M
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Kefah
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mokbel
authors.forename: Anup K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1