Cecilia Ahlin

Molecular subtyping of male breast cancer using alternative definitions and its prognostic impact

Abstract Background. Male breast cancer (MBC) is an uncommon disease and there is limited information on the prognostic impact of routinely used clinicopathological parameters. Material and methods. In a retrospective setting, we reviewed 197 MBC patients with accessible paraffin-embedded tumor tissue and clinicopathological data. Immunohistochemical (IHC) stainings were performed on tissue microarrays and histological grading on conventional slides. Cox proportional regression models were applied for uni- and multivariate analyses using breast cancer death as the event. Results. Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor positivity were demonstrated in 93% and 77% of patients, respectively. Nottingham histologic grade (NHG) III was seen in 41% and HER2 positivity in 11%. Classification into molecular subtypes using IHC markers according to three alternative definitions revealed luminal A and luminal B in 81% vs. 11%; 48% vs. 44% and 41% vs. 42% of cases. Two cases of basal-like were identified, but no cases of HER2-like. Factors associated with an increased risk of breast cancer death were node positivity (HR 4.5; 95% CI 1.8–11.1), tumor size > 20 mm (HR 3.3; 95% CI 1.4–7.9) and ER negativity (HR 10.9; 95% CI 3.2–37.9). No difference in breast cancer death between the luminal subgroups was demonstrated, regardless of definition. Conclusion. MBC tumors were more often of high grade, whereas HER2 overexpression was as frequent as in FBC. Lymph nodes, tumor size and ER status were independent predictors of breast cancer death. The prognostic impact of molecular subtyping in MBC seems to differ from that previously established in FBC.

Reliability of cyclin A assessment on tissue microarrays in breast cancer compared to conventional histological slides

Cyclin A has in some studies been associated with poor breast cancer survival, although all studies have not confirmed this. Its prognostic significance in breast cancer needs evaluation in larger studies. Tissue microarray (TMA) technique allows a simultaneous analysis of large amount of tumours on a single microscopic slide. This makes a rapid screening of molecular markers in large amount of tumours possible. Because only a small tissue sample of each tumour is punched on an array, the question has arisen about the representativeness of TMA when studying markers that are expressed in only a small proportion of cells. For this reason, we wanted to compare cyclin A expression on TMA and on traditional large sections. Two breast cancer TMAs were constructed of 200 breast tumours diagnosed between 1997–1998. TMA slides and traditional large section slides of these 200 tumours were stained with cyclin A antibody and analysed by two independent readers. The reproducibility of the two readers’ results was good or even very good, with kappa values 0.71–0.87. The agreement of TMA and large section results was good with kappa value 0.62–0.75. Cyclin A overexpression was significantly (P<0.001) associated with oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor negativity and high grade both on TMA and large sections. Cyclin A overexpression was significantly associated with poor metastasis-free survival both on TMA and large sections. The relative risks for metastasis were similar on TMA and large sections. This study suggests that TMA technique could be useful to study histological correlations and prognostic significance of cyclin A on breast cancer on a large scale.

Cyclin A Is a Proliferative Marker with Good Prognostic Value in Node-Negative Breast Cancer

Background: Proliferative markers are not recommended as prognostic factors for clinical use in breast cancer due to lack of standardization in methodology. However, proliferation is driving several gene expression signatures emphasizing the need for a reliable proliferative marker for clinical use. Studies suggest that cyclin A is a prognostic marker with satisfying reproducibility. We investigated cyclin A as a prognostic marker in node-negative breast cancer using previously defined cutoff values. Patients and Methods: In a case-control study, we defined 190 women who died from breast cancer as cases and 190 women alive at the time for the corresponding cases death as controls. Inclusion criteria were tumor size ≤50 mm, no lymph node metastases and no adjuvant chemotherapy. Tumor tissues were immunostained for cyclin A using commercially available antibodies. Results: We found a statistically significant association between expression of cyclin A and breast cancer death in a univariate model: odds ratio for cyclin Aave 2.7 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7-4.3] and cyclin Amax 3.4 (CI, 2.1-5.5). Corresponding odds ratio for Ki67 were Ki67ave 1.9 (CI, 1.2-3.1) and Ki67max 1.7 (CI, 1.1-2.7) and for grade 3.1 (CI, 1.8-5.1). Cyclin A was strongly correlated to Ki67 and grade why a model including all was not appropriate. Conclusions: Cyclin A is a prognostic factor for breast cancer death in node-negative patients using standardized methodology regarding scoring and cutoff values. Adding cyclin A as a proliferative marker to established clinicopathologic factors will improve the separation of low and high risk breast cancer.(Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(9):2501–6)

The Prognostic Value of Mitotic Activity Index (MAI), Phosphohistone H3 (PPH3), Cyclin B1, Cyclin A, and Ki67, Alone and in Combinations, in Node-Negative Premenopausal Breast Cancer.

Proliferation, either as the main common denominator in genetic profiles, or in the form of single factors such as Ki67, is recommended for clinical use especially in estrogen receptor-positive (ER) patients. However, due to high costs of genetic profiles and lack of reproducibility for Ki67, studies on other proliferation factors are warranted. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the proliferation factors mitotic activity index (MAI), phosphohistone H3 (PPH3), cyclin B1, cyclin A and Ki67, alone and in combinations. In 222 consecutive premenopausal node-negative breast cancer patients (87% without adjuvant medical treatment), MAI was assessed on whole tissue sections (predefined cut-off ≥10 mitoses), and PPH3, cyclin B1, cyclin A, and Ki67 on tissue microarray (predefined cut-offs 7th decile). In univariable analysis (high versus low) the strongest prognostic proliferation factor for 10-year distant disease-free survival was MAI (Hazard Ratio (HR)=3.3, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.8-6.1), followed by PPH3, cyclin A, Ki67, and cyclin B1. A combination variable, with patients with MAI and/or cyclin A high defined as high-risk, had even stronger prognostic value (HR=4.2, 95%CI: 2.2-7). When stratifying for ER-status, MAI was a significant prognostic factor in ER-positive patients only (HR=7.0, 95%CI: 3.1-16). Stratified for histological grade, MAI added prognostic value in grade 2 (HR=7.2, 95%CI: 3.1-38) and grade 1 patients. In multivariable analysis including HER2, age, adjuvant medical treatment, ER, and one proliferation factor at a time, only MAI (HR=2.7, 95%CI: 1.1-6.7), and cyclin A (HR=2.7, 95%CI: 1.2-6.0) remained independently prognostic. In conclusion this study confirms the strong prognostic value of all proliferation factors, especially MAI and cyclin A, in all patients, and more specifically in ER-positive patients, and patients with histological grade 2 and 1. Additionally, by combining two proliferation factors, an even stronger prognostic value may be found.

High proliferation is associated with inferior outcome in male breast cancer patients

Assessment of proliferation is important in female breast cancer and individual treatment decisions are based upon its results, especially in the luminal subgroups. Gene expression analyses fail to group male breast cancer into the intrinsic subgroups previously established in female breast cancer. Even though proliferation has been shown to divide male breast cancer into molecular subgroups with different prognoses, the clinical importance of proliferation markers has not yet been elucidated. Previous studies in male breast cancer have demonstrated contradictory results regarding the prognostic impact of histological grade and Ki-67, parameters strongly associated with proliferation. The aim of the present project was to study proliferation in male breast cancer by assessing other proliferation-related markers viz. cyclins A, B, D1 and mitotic count. A total of 197 male breast cancer cases with accessible paraffin-embedded material and outcome data were investigated. Immunohistochemical stainings were performed on tissue microarrays. Kaplan–Meier estimates and the Cox proportional regression models were used for survival analyses with breast cancer death as the event. The subset of patients with high expression of cyclin A (hazard ratio (HR) 3.7; P=0.001) and B (HR 2.7; P=0.02) demonstrated a poorer survival. Furthermore, high mitotic count was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer death (HR 2.5; P=0.01). In contrast, cyclin D1 overexpression was predictive of better breast cancer survival (HR 0.3; P=0.001). In conclusion, high levels of cyclin A and B expression and an elevated mitotic count result in a two to threefold higher risk for breast cancer death, whereas cyclin D1 overexpression halves the risk. The clinical utility of these proliferation markers needs further elucidation.

Natural history of recurrences in endometrial carcinoma

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the natural history of endometrial cancer recurrences with regard to predictive and prognostic factors. Between 1990 and 1999, 100 patients were treated for recurrences of endometrial carcinoma (all FIGO stages). Overall, 90 tumors were of endometrioid type. A total of 82 patients were treated with surgery, 41 patients received adjuvant external irradiation and 91 patients received vaginal brachytherapy. The median time to recurrence (TTR) was 32 months. The recurrences were treated using a combination of high-dose-rate brachytherapy and external pelvic irradiation in 35 cases. In addition, 44 patients were treated with chemotherapy and 21 patients received other types of therapy. The complete remission rate was 29% and the overall response rate was 44%. Among patients treated with radiotherapy, the response rate was 88% and, for those treated with chemotherapy, the rate was 33%. The local control of vaginal recurrences treated with combined radiotherapy was 93%. In 45 patients (45%) a second recurrence was identified and a third recurrence occurred in 12 patients. The overall five-year survival rate was 44%. Age, FIGO grade, nuclear grade, TTR and response to treatment were found to be independent and significant prognostic factors for overall survival rate. Locoregional recurrences were associated with a generalized extra-pelvic disease in 63% of the cases.

Genetic alterations in the K-Ras gene influence the prognosis in patients with cervical cancer treated by radiotherapy.

Introduction: A high incidence of K-Ras mutations has been identified in a variety of human cancers, especially in codon 12, 13, and 61. Nevertheless, the presence of K-Ras mutations in cervical cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate possible mutations in exon 1 and 2 of the K-Ras gene and to assess whether K-Ras mutation status had prognostic and predictive significance and were linked to clinicopathological parameters. Methods: Genomic DNA from 107 patients with cervical cancer, treated with radiochemotherapy, were examined for mutations in the coding exons 1 and 2, including exon/intron borders of the K-Ras gene using single-stranded conformation polymorphism and sequence analyses. Results: K-Ras mutations were detected in 11 patients (10%). Seven tumors showed a mutation in codon 59, 3 tumors in codon 38, and 1 tumor in codon 13. In 6 of the cases with a mutation in codon 59, an additional alteration located in codon 65 was found. Patients with K-Ras mutations had significantly worse recurrence-free survival (P = 0.03), and an association between K-Ras status and distant metastases was also seen (P = 0.04). Conclusions: The present data indicate that K-Ras mutations are relatively uncommon in cervical cancer but associates with poorer prognosis, especially in the subset of squamous cell carcinomas. There is a need for new markers in cervical cancer to improve individual treatment, but whether K-Ras mutation status is a potential biomarker in this situation needs further investigations in larger tumor series and in more regions of the K-Ras gene.

Cyclin E1 is a strong prognostic marker for death from lymph node negative breast cancer. A population-based case-control study

Abstract Background. A large proportion of women with lymph node negative breast cancer treated with systemic adjuvant treatment do not benefit from such therapy since the patient is already cured by local treatment. Several studies have suggested that proliferation markers are strong prognostic factors in early breast cancer. Cyclins are probably the most specific markers of cell proliferation. Previously high expression of cyclin E has been associated with breast cancer recurrence. Materials and methods. In this study we investigate the prognostic value of cyclin E1 in node negative breast cancer patients. In a population-based cohort 186 women who died from breast cancer were defined as cases and 186 women alive at the corresponding time as controls. Inclusion criteria were tumour size ≤ 50 mm, no lymph node metastases and no adjuvant chemotherapy. The study was designed to detect an odds ratio of 2.5 with a power of 90% and significance level of 0.05. Cyclin E1 was determined with immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tissue microarray (TMA). Results. High expression of cyclin E1 was significantly associated with breast cancer death, in both uni- and multivariate analyses with odds ratios (OR) 2.3 [univariate, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–3.6] and 2.1 (multivariate, 95% CI 1.2–3.5). Discussion. Cyclin E1 is a strong prognostic factor for breast cancer death in a population-based and node negative patient cohort and can identify high-risk patients in this group.

Prognostic impact of the expression of Hedgehog proteins in cervical carcinoma FIGO stages I–IV treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy

OBJECTIVE Hedgehog signaling proteins were assessed in patients with cervical carcinoma receiving chemoradiation. Associations between five Hedgehog proteins and prognosis were studied. METHODS In all, 131 cases of cervical carcinomas (FIGO stages I-IV) were immunohistochemically (IHC) analyzed for Patched (PTCH), Smoothened (SMO), and GLI1, GLI2 and GLI3 protein expression. Associations between Hedgehog protein expressions, clinicopathological factors, and clinical outcome data were examined. RESULTS Positive IHC staining for the five Hedgehog proteins was recorded in 8% to 37% of the tumor cells. The highest frequency was noted for SMO and the lowest for GLI1. There was a significant association between low SMO- and GLI2-expression and KRAS-mutation. Tumors with overexpressed SMO had a higher frequency of residual tumor or local recurrences than tumors with low SMO expression. Patients with tumors expressing PTCH in more than 75% of the cells had significantly (P=0.023) better recurrence-free survival than patients with tumors with low expression. The opposite situation was true for SMO. For GLI2, there was a statistically significant difference with regard to overall (P=0.004) and distant (P=0.015) relapse rate for groups with expression of GLI2 in the range of 5-25% compared to higher rates. CONCLUSIONS A predictive and prognostic value was found for PTCH, SMO, and GLI2 with regard to residual carcinoma, local recurrences, and for GLI2 distant relapses. The Hedgehog signaling pathway also seems to play an important role in cervical carcinogenesis together with HPV16-infection and KRAS-mutation.

Ghrelin is a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer

Ghrelin and obestatin are gastrointestinal peptides, encoded by the same preproghrelin gene. Both are expressed in breast cancer tissue and ghrelin has been implicated in breast cancer tumorigenesis. Despite recent advances in breast cancer management the need for new prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets in breast cancer remains high. We studied the prognostic impact of ghrelin and obestatin in women with node negative breast cancer. Within a cohort of women with breast cancer with tumor size ≤ 50 mm, no lymph node metastases and no initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy, 190 women were identified who died from breast cancer and randomly selected 190 women alive at the corresponding time as controls. Tumor tissues were immunostained with antibodies versus the peptides. Ghrelin expression was associated with better breast cancer specific survival in univariate analyses (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36–0.84) and in multivariate models, adjusted for endocrine treatment and age (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.36–0.89). Obestatin expression was non-informative (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.60–2.46). Ghrelin expression is independent prognostic factor for breast cancer death in node negative patients—halving the risk for dying of breast cancer. Our data implies that ghrelin could be a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer treatment.