title: Prognostic Role of PTEN Gene Expression in Breast Cancer Patients from North-East Iran
abstract: Background: PTEN protein is one of the most important tumour suppressor factors which is detectable
  by immunohistochemistry. The goal of the present study was to investigate the prognostic role of PTEN gene
  expression in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on
  100 breast cancer patients referred to Sabzevar hospitals in the north-east of Iran between 2010 and 2011, who
  were followed up to 2015. PTEN gene expression in tissue samples was determined using specific monoclonal
  antibodies and data were analyzed using Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. Patient survival was analyzed
  after 4 years of follow-up using the Cox regression model. Results: PTEN gene expression was evident in 70
  of 100 cnacer samples but was found at high levels in all non-cancer samples. There was an inverse significant
  relationship between PTEN gene expression and tumour stage or tumour grade (p<0.001). The expression of
  PTEN in invasive ductal tumours was lower than in non-invasive tumours. There was also an inverse significant
  relationship between the hazard of death and PTEN gene expression (p<0.001). In addition, there was an inverse
  significant relationship between tumour stage and hazard of death (p<0.001). Conclusion: These findings indicate
  that lack of PTEN gene expression can be a sign of a worse prognosis and poor survival in breast cancer cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy,Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran.Email: a.pejhan@ymail.com
authors.forename: Rahim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golmohammadi
authors.forename: Mohammad Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rakhshani
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Moslem
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pejhan
keywords: PTEN; breast carcinoma; immunohistochemistry; survival; prognosis