Studies from Louisiana State University update current data on breast cancer
March 2nd, 2009
2009 MAR 2 -- " Patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) have a poor outcome. A molecular predictor to identify at-risk patients is sorely needed," scientists in the United States report.
"CXCR4 is a chemokine receptor that has been linked to breast cancer invasion and metastasis. We postulate that in patients with LABC, CXCR4 overexpression levels in cancer specimens following neoadjuvant chemotherapy predict cancer outcome. Experimental design 54 patients with LABC were prospectively accrued and analyzed. All had neoadjuvant chemotherapy and definitive surgical therapy. Study homogeneity was maintained by standardized treatment, surveillance, and compliance protocols. A 1 cm(3) cancer from the surgical specimens of each patient was retrieved for analysis. CXCR4 levels were detected using Western blots, and results were quantified against 1 mu g of protein from HeLa cells. CXCR4 expression was defined as low (< 6.6-fold) or high (a parts per thousand yen6.6-fold). Primary endpoints were cancer recurrence and death. Statistical analysis performed included independent samples t-test, chi-square test, Spearman Rank analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazard model. With a median follow-up of 30 months, patients with high CXCR4 overexpression (a parts per thousand yen6.6-fold) had a significantly higher incidence of recurrence (P = 0.0006) and cancer death (P = 0.0128) than those with low CXCR4 overexpression (< 6.6-fold). The relative risks for recurrence and death in the high CXCR4 group were 27.3-fold (95% CI: 6.2-120.8; P = 0.001) and 4.8-fold (95% CI: 1.5-15.0; P = 0.0076) higher, respectively than those in the low CXCR4 group," wrote N.T. Holm and colleagues, Louisiana State University.
The researchers concluded: " High CXCR4 overexpression in specimens from LABC patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy was predictive of cancer outcome."
Holm and colleagues published their study in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (Elevated chemokine receptor CXCR4 expression in primary tumors following neoadjuvant chemotherapy predicts poor outcomes for patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2009;113(2):293-299).
For additional information, contact Q.D. Chu, Louisiana State University, Health Science Center, Dept. of Surgery, Feist Weiller Cancer Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA.
The publisher's contact information for the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment is: Springer, 233 Spring St., New York, NY 10013, USA.
Keywords: United States, Shreveport, Breast Cancer, Breast Carcinoma, Cancer Research, Chemotherapy, Drug Therapy, Experimental Design, Oncology, Treatment, Women's Health, Louisiana State University.
This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
