title: Expression of Cancer/Testis genes in ductal carcinoma in situ and benign lesions of the breast.
abstract: Cancer/testis (CT) genes represent a unique class of genes, which are expressed by germ cells, normally silenced in somatic cells, but activated in various cancers. CT proteins can elicit spontaneous immune responses in cancer patients and this feature makes them attractive targets for immunotherapy-based approaches. We have previously reported that CTs are relatively commonly expressed in estrogen receptor (ER) negative, high risk carcinomas. In this study, we examined the expression of selected CT genes in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) and benign proliferative lesions of the breast. ER negative DCIS were found to be associated with significant CT gene expression together with HER2 positivity and a marked stromal immune response.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Neurosurgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA.
authors.forename: Otavia L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.affiliation: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust & Imperial College, London, Charing Cross Hospital.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shousha
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Neurosurgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY., USA.|Current affiliation: Orygen Biotecnologia, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrew J G
authors.initials: AJG
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.affiliation: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust & Imperial College, London, Charing Cross Hospital.
authors.forename: R Charles
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Coombes
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY., USA.
authors.forename: A Munro
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Neville
keywords: DCIS; ER negative; cancer/testis genes