title: PTEN/PI3K/AKT protein expression is related to clinicopathological features and prognosis in breast cancer with axillary lymph node metastases.
abstract: We explored the relations between PTEN/PI3K/AKT expression and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in breast cancer patients with and without axillary lymph node metastasis (LNM). Tissues and follow-up data from 142 patients with (LNM group) and 154 without (non-LNM group) metastases were collected. Expression of PTEN/PI3K/AKT was detected using immunohistochemistry staining. With axillary LNM, the positive rate of PTEN was reduced, whereas that of PI3K and AKT was increased. Expression of AKT was negatively correlated with PTEN expression but positively correlated with PI3K expression. Apparent correlations were detected between AKT and axillary LNM with a tumor size of 2 cm or less; between PTEN, PI3K, and AKT and axillary LNM in stage T1 or T2 breast cancer and invasive carcinoma of a nonspecial type; and between PTEN and AKT and axillary LNM of histologic grade I or II tumors and non-triple-negative breast cancer (all P<.05). In the LNM group, the 5-year survival rate of patients with PTEN-positive tumors was higher than that of patients with PTEN-negative lesions; whereas in the non-LNM group, the 5-year survival rate of patients with AKT-positive tumors was lower than that of patients with AKT-negative lesions (both P<.05). Cox regression analysis showed that PTEN expression was an independent prognostic factor for patients with LNM; AKT expression, tumor diameter, pathologic grade, and pathologic type were independent prognostic factors for patients without LNM. In conclusion, TEN/PI3K/AKT proteins are related to the clinicopathological features and prognosis of breast cancer with axillary LNM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Ling-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Ling-Ji
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Chun-Yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian-Jie
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Wu-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast, Thyroid, and Vascular Surgery, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China. Electronic address: luodonglin0428@163.com.
authors.forename: Dong-Lin
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000032:analysis*; D058539:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase / Q000032:analysis*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000032:analysis*; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058539:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human
keywords: Breast cancer; Lymph node metastasis; Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN); Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K); Protein kinase B (AKT)