The androgen receptor as a surrogate marker for molecular apocrine breast cancer subtyping.
The Androgen Receptor (AR) is a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in breast cancer. We evaluated AR protein expression in high-risk breast cancer treated in the adjuvant setting. Tumors were subtyped into luminal (ER+/PgR±/AR±), molecular apocrine (MAC, [ER-/PgR-/AR+]) and hormone receptor negative carcinomas (HR-negative, [ER-/PgR-/AR-]). Subtyping was evaluated with respect to prognosis and to taxane therapy. High histologic grade (p < 0.001) and increased proliferation (p = 0.001) more often appeared in MAC and HR-negative than in luminal tumors. Patients with MAC had outcome comparable to the luminal group, while patients with HR-negative disease had increased risk for relapse and death. MAC outcome was favorable upon taxane-containing treatment; this remained significant upon multivariate analysis for overall survival (HR 0.31, 95%CI 0.13-0.74, interaction p = 0.035) and as a trend for time to relapse (p = 0.15). In conclusion, AR-related subtyping of breast cancer may be prognostic and serve for selecting optimal treatment combinations.
Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: slakis@math.auth.gr.
Sotiris
S
Lakis
Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Pathology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Vassiliki
V
Kotoula
Section of Biostatistics, Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group, Data Office, Athens, Greece.
Anastasia G
AG
Eleftheraki
Department of Pathology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece.
Anna
A
Batistatou
Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Mattheos
M
Bobos
Department of Pathology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Triantafyllia
T
Koletsa
Department of Medical Oncology, "Papageorgiou" Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Eleni
E
Timotheadou
Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Sofia
S
Chrisafi
Department of Medical Oncology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece.
George
G
Pentheroudakis
Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece.
Angelos
A
Koutras
Department of Clinical Therapeutics, "Alexandra" Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
Flora
F
Zagouri
First Department of Medical Oncology, "Metropolitan" Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.
Helena
H
Linardou
Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Medical Oncology, "Papageorgiou" Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
George
G
Fountzilas
D059002:Androgen Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
C410798:AR protein, human; D059002:Androgen Receptor Antagonists; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D043823:Taxoids
Androgen receptor; Breast cancer; HER2; Immunohistochemistry; Molecular apocrine; Taxanes