title: Prognostic value of gene signatures and proliferation in lymph-node-negative breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The overall survival rate is good for lymph-node-negative breast cancer patients, but they still suffer from serious over- and some undertreatments. Prognostic and predictive gene signatures for node-negative breast cancer have a high number of genes related to proliferation. The prognostic value of gene sets from commercial gene-expression assays were compared with proliferation markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Illumina WG6 mRNA microarray analysis was used to examine 94 fresh-frozen tumour samples from node-negative breast cancer patients. The patients were divided into low- and high-risk groups for distant metastasis based on the MammaPrint-related genes, and into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups based on the recurrence score algorithm with genes included in Oncotype DX. These data were then compared to proliferation status, as measured by the mitotic activity index, the expressions of phosphohistone H3 (PPH3), and Ki67.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for distant-metastasis-free survival revealed that patients with weak and strong PPH3 expressions had 14-year survival rates of 87% (n=45), and 65% (n=49, p=0.014), respectively. Analysis of the MammaPrint classification resulted in 14-year survival rates of 80% (n=45) and 71% (n=49, p=0.287) for patients with low and high risks of recurrence, respectively. The Oncotype DX categorization yielded 14-year survival rates of 83% (n=18), 79% (n=42) and 68% (n=34) for those in the low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups, respectively (p=0.52). Supervised hierarchical cluster analysis for distant-metastasis-free survival in the subgroup of patients with strong PPH3 expression revealed that the genes involved in Notch signalling and cell adhesion were expressed at higher levels in those patients with distant metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study indicates that proliferation has greater prognostic value than the expressions of either MammaPrint- or Oncotype-DX-related genes. Furthermore, in the subgroup of patients with high proliferation, Notch signalling pathway genes appear to be expressed at higher levels in patients who develop distant metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jonsdottir
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Assmus
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slewa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Einar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gudlaugsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Ivar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Skaland
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway; Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan P A
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Baak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Emiel A M
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Janssen
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D063990:Gene Ontology; D052138:Genes, Neoplasm; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D010750:Phosphoproteins