SOX2 and ALDH1 as Predictors of Operable Breast Cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Sex-determining region Y-box binding protein-2 (SOX2) and aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH1) are known cancer stem-cell markers, and represent candidate predictors for breast cancer prognosis. In this study we investigated the relationships between SOX2/ALDH1 expression and prognosis.


METHODS
One hunred and two breast cancer surgical specimens were immunohistochemically analyzed for SOX2 and ALDH1 expression.


RESULTS
Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly poorer for SOX2-positive patients than SOX2-negative (p=0.0024 and p=0.0021, respectively), and for ALDH1-positive patients than ALDH1-negative (p=0.0049 and p=0.0083). DFS and OS were worse for SOX2- or ALDH1-positive patients than double-negative (p=0.0053 and p=0.0166). While an obvious tendency toward worse DFS was seen for estrogen receptor (ER)-negative patients, and attenuated for ER-positive, only SOX2/ALDH1 any-positive patients showed significantly poorer DFS (p=0.0258).


CONCLUSIONS
SOX2 and ALDH1 can be considered markers of poor prognosis, particularly in ER-negative patients. SOX2/ALDH1 any-positivity might also offer a reliable predictor of poor prognosis.
Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan simahiro@sapmed.ac.jp.
Hiroaki
H
Shima
Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.
Goro
G
Kutomi
Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.
Fukino
F
Satomi
Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.
Hideki
H
Maeda
Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Yoshihiko
Y
Hirohashi
Department of Surgical Pathology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.
Tadashi
T
Hasegawa
Department of Public Health, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.
Mitsuru
M
Mori
Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Toshihiko
T
Torigoe
Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.
Ichiro
I
Takemasa
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis*
D007527:Isoenzymes; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; C527782:SOX2 protein, human; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase
ALDH1; SOX2; breast cancer; cancer stem cells; predictive marker