Tumour biomarker expression relative to age and molecular subtypes of invasive breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Quantitative differences in biomarker expression relative to age and molecular subtypes have not been well documented in invasive breast cancer (IBCA).


METHODS
Oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2, ki67, p53 and DNA ploidy was performed by image analysis in 162 consecutive IBCAs in women (≤ 40 years) and compared with women ≥ 50 years (100 cases). Molecular subtypes were defined by immunohistochemistry (IHC).


RESULTS
Among young women, tumours were frequently ER negative (P=0.01) with lower ER (P<0.00), PR (P=0.03), higher ki67 index (KI) (P=0.01) and p53 (P=0.00) compared with older women. Triple negative was more frequent among young women with frequent lymph node involvement compared with older women. Luminal B among young vs old women showed lower ER (67% vs 88%), PR (32% vs 52%), higher KI (48% vs 34%) and p53 (19% vs 7%). Linear regression model showed increasing KI (P<0.0001) and p53 (P=0.0003) according to the molecular subtypes. Survival difference among subtypes was demonstrated by multivariate analysis (P=0.0092) after adjusting for age, race, tumour size, grade and stage.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated significant differences in biomarker expression relative to age and molecular subtypes. Molecular subtype defined by IHC was an independent prognostic factor.
Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Building, Dallas, TX 75390-9073, USA.
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DH
Morrison
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Rahardja
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E
King
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Y
Peng
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Sarode
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C495901:TP53 protein, human