title: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain metastases: a comparison between basal-like and non-basal-like biological subtypes.
abstract: The aim of this study was to divide the group of triple-negative breast cancer patients with brain metastases into basal-like and non-basal-like biological subtypes in order to compare clinical features and survival rates in those two groups. A comprehensive analysis of 111 consecutive triple-negative breast cancer patients with brain metastases treated in the years 2003-2009 was performed. In 75 patients, immunohistochemistry was used as a surrogate of microarray in order to evaluate the expression of three basal markers: cytokeratin 5/6 (CK 5/6), EGFR/HER1 and c-KIT. The basal-like (ER/PgR/HER2-negative, CK5/6positive and/or HER1-positive) and non-basal-like (ER/PgR/HER2-negative, CK5/6-negative, HER1-negative) subsets were selected. Clinical features and survivals were compared in both groups. In the group of 111 triple-negative breast cancer patients, median DFS, OS and survival from brain metastases were 20, 29 and 4 months, respectively. In 75 patients who were evaluable for basal markers, median DFS, OS and survival from brain metastases were 18, 26 and 3.2 months, respectively. In the basal-like subtype, the survival rates were 15, 26 and 3 months, respectively, and in the non-basal-like subtypes, they were 20, 30 and 2.8 months, respectively. No statistically significant differences in survivals were detected between the basal-like and non-basal-like biological subtypes. Factors influencing survival from brain metastases were: Karnofsky performance status (KPS), the status of extracranial disease and age. Biological markers differentiating triple-negative group into basal-like and non-basal-like subtype (CK 5/6, HER1, c-KIT) had no influence on survival. In patients with triple-negative breast cancer and brain metastases, well-known clinical, but not molecular, features correlated with survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Cancer and Reconstructive Surgery, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, ul. Roentgena 5, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland. alphaonetau@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niwińska
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Olszewski
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murawska
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pogoda
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D053555:Keratin-5 / Q000032:analysis; D053553:Keratin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D053555:Keratin-5; D053553:Keratin-6; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C512478:EGFR protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human