title: Comparison of molecular subtype distribution in triple-negative inflammatory and non-inflammatory breast cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because of its high rate of metastasis, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) has a poor prognosis compared with non-inflammatory types of breast cancer (non-IBC). In a recent study, Lehmann and colleagues identified seven subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We hypothesized that the distribution of TNBC subtypes differs between TN-IBC and TN-non-IBC. We determined the subtypes and compared clinical outcomes by subtype in TN-IBC and TN-non-IBC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined TNBC subtypes in a TNBC cohort from the World IBC Consortium for which IBC status was known (39 cases of TN-IBC; 49 cases of TN-non-IBC). We then determined the associations between TNBC subtypes and IBC status and compared clinical outcomes between TNBC subtypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found the seven subtypes exist in both TN-IBC and TN-non-IBC. We found no association between TNBC subtype and IBC status (P = 0.47). TNBC subtype did not predict recurrence-free survival. IBC status was not a significant predictor of recurrence-free or overall survival in the TNBC cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show that, like TN-non-IBC, TN-IBC is a heterogeneous disease. Although clinical characteristics differ significantly between IBC and non-IBC, no unique IBC-specific TNBC subtypes were identified by mRNA gene-expression profiles of the tumor. Studies are needed to identify the subtle molecular or microenvironmental differences that contribute to the differing clinical behaviors between TN-IBC and TN-non-IBC.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Baggerly
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Takae
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.forename: Lajos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pusztai
authors.forename: Kazuharu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kogawa
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Finetti
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Birnbaum
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dirix
authors.forename: Wendy A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Reuben
authors.forename: Savitri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnamurthy
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Symmans
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Van Laere
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertucci
authors.forename: Gabriel N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Hortobagyi
authors.forename: Naoto T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Ueno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D058922:Inflammatory Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics; D016019:Survival Analysis; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C410798:AR protein, human; D011944:Receptors, Androgen