[The expression of fibroblast activation protein-α in primary breast cancer is associated with poor prognosis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prognostic value of fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP-α) expression in primary lesions of breast cancer patients and the relationship with the clinicopathologic features.


METHODS
Paraffin sections and clinical data were retrospectively collected from 130 stage I-III breast cancer patients who had underwent surgery at the Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 1st, 2000 to December 31st, 2002. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess FAP-α expression in primary lesions of breast cancer to evaluate the associations of FAP-α expression with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression in breast cancer and patients' clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis.


RESULTS
FAP-α was seen in cytoplasm of tumor cells and interstitial fibroblasts. Density of interstitial FAP-α-positive fibroblasts was positively correlated with the staining density of interstitial TGF-β-positive cells. Intensity of CTLA-4 expression in tumor cells was positively correlated with TGF-β1 expression in tumor cells. In patients whose lesions were negative for both estrogen and progesterone receptors, density of interstitial FAP-α-positive fibroblasts was an independent adverse prognostic factor for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS); intensity of CTLA-4 expression in tumor cells was an independent adverse prognostic factor for DFS and OS.


CONCLUSIONS
High expression of FAP-α in primary breast tumors is associated with a bad prognosis in patients whose lesions are negative for both estrogen and progesterone receptors. Expression of TGF-β1 is positively related with FAP-α expression in primary breast tumors.
Department of Medical Oncology, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Haiming
H
Yu
Department of Medical Oncology, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Junlan
J
Yang
Department of Medical Oncology, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Ying
Y
Li
Department of Medical Oncology, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Shunchang
S
Jiao
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010450:Endopeptidases; D005260:Female; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000099167:Fibroblast Activation Protein Alpha
D010450:Endopeptidases; D018093:Gelatinases; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000099167:Fibroblast Activation Protein Alpha