title: Downregulation of androgen receptor is strongly associated with diabetes in triple negative breast cancer patients.
abstract: Developing of personalized therapies for Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) requires a more detailed knowledge of its biology and a correct stratification of molecular subtypes. Androgen Receptor (AR) is expressed in a large part of TNBCs but its prognostic role in this Breast Cancer (BC) subtype is highly debated. In this study, we analyzed AR expression in a series of 238 TNBCs and correlated its expression with clinical-pathological features, survival, and metabolic profile. We showed a consistent association between AR expression and a better prognosis of TNBC patients, while its downregulation appeared strongly associated with diabetic disease. Since a recent prospective study reported a lower BC risk in diabetic women treated with drugs able to reduce circulating levels of glucose compared with non-diabetic woman, and in vitro studies showed that AR level are regulated directly by hyperglycemia, we speculate on the perspective of new integrated therapies for TNBC.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Collina
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerrone
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Peluso
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery and Cancer Prevention, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Michelino De
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Laurentiis
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery and Cancer Prevention, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella De
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cecio
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liguori
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Botti
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cantile
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione "G. Pascale" via Mariano Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio Di
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bonito
keywords: Triple negative breast cancers; androgen receptor; diabetes