[Immunoexpression of apollon in breast cancer tissues before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether apollon immunoexpression in breast cancer tissues helps to predict pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).


METHODS
The expressions of Apollon, Her-2, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were detected immunohistochemically in biopsy tissues from 124 breast cancer patients. The clinical responses to NAC were evaluated in line with the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST). The pCR rate was analyzed for different types of breast cancer. The correlations between Apollon status with Her-2, ER, PR, lymph node status and tumor size were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry was used to compared the changes in Apollon expression in the breast cancer tissues before and after NAC.


RESULTS
The pCR rate was 18.5% (23/124) in these patients. Negative expressions of apollon, ER and PR were all associated with a higher pCR rate after NAC. Apollon was significantly correlated with Her-2, ER, PR and lymph node involvement. Chemotherapy significantly down-regulated apollon expression in the tumor cells.


CONCLUSIONS
A negative apollon expression might be a predictor of pCR in patients with breast cancer.
Department of General Surgery, 422 Hospital of PLA, Zhanjiang 524009, China. E-mail: chenjf623@163.com.
Jian-Fa
JF
Chen
Zhi-Qiang
ZQ
Yue
Ming
M
Fu
You
Y
Mo
Shu-Rong
SR
Zhou
D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C401541:BIRC6 protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human