Overexpression of caveolin-1 in cancer-associated fibroblasts predicts good outcome in breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and to explore its correlation with clinicopathologic parameters and prognosis.


METHODS
Cav-1 expression was detected in the stroma of 143 patients with breast cancer, 10 patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 10 normal breast tissue samples.


RESULTS
Overexpression of stromal Cav-1 in breast cancer was associated with histological type, low histological grade, estrogen receptor (ER) negativity, and molecular subtypes. The expression rate of stromal Cav-1 in breast cancer (65.7%, 94/143) was significantly higher than that of DCIS (0%, 0/10) and normal breast tissue (0%, 0/10) (p = 0.000). A positive correlation was found between stromal Cav-1 and ER (p = 0.046, rs = 0.218). Stromal Cav-1 expression in luminal B was significantly higher than in basal-like type (p = 0.048). Furthermore, stromal expression of Cav-1 was significantly correlated with the 5-year survival rate (p = 0.029), and it was an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
Cav-1 expression in CAFs was correlated with histological type, histological grade, ER status, and molecular subtypes in breast cancer. Stromal Cav-1 expression was an independent prognostic factor, and the absence or reduction of Cav-1 expression in stromal CAFs of invasive breast cancer predicts poor prognostic outcome.
Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention (China National Ministry of Education), The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Hangzhou, China ; Department of Pathological Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Xi'an Medical College, Xi'an, Hangzhou, China.
Wang
W
Shan-Wei
Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Xu
X
Kan-Lun
Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention (China National Ministry of Education), The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Hangzhou, China.
Ruan
R
Shu-Qin
Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention (China National Ministry of Education), The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Hangzhou, China.
Zhao
Z
Li-Li
Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Chen
C
Li-Rong
Biomarker; Breast cancer; Cancer-associated fibroblasts; Gene; Prognosis