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. 2011 Mar 16:3:9-19.
doi: 10.2147/BCTT.S17094. eCollection 2011.

Triple-negative (ER, PgR, HER-2/neu) breast cancer in Indian women

Vinayak W Patil  1 , Rajeev Singhai  1 , Amit V Patil  2 , Prakash D Gurav  2
Affiliations

Triple-negative (ER, PgR, HER-2/neu) breast cancer in Indian women

Vinayak W Patil et al. Breast Cancer (Dove Med Press). .

Retraction in

  • Retraction.
    [No authors listed] [No authors listed] Breast Cancer (Dove Med Press). 2012 Mar 8;4:33. doi: 10.2147/BCTT.S31163. eCollection 2012. Breast Cancer (Dove Med Press). 2012. PMID: 24367192 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

Abstract

The aim of our study was to analyze triple-negative (TN) breast cancer, which is defined as being negative for the estrogen receptor (ER), the progesterone receptor (PgR), and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2/neu) and which represents a subset of breast cancer with different biologic behavior. We investigated the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic indicators of lymph node-negative TN breast cancer. Medical records were reviewed from patients with node-negative breast cancer who underwent curative surgery at Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, India, from May 2007 to October 2010. Clinicopathological variables and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Among 683 patients included, 136 had TN breast cancer and 529 had non-TN breast cancer. TN breast cancer correlated with younger age (<35 years, P = 0.003) and a higher histopathologic and nuclear grade (P < 0.001). It also correlated with a molecular profile associated with biological aggressiveness: negative for Bcl-2 expression (P < 0.001), positive for the epidermal growth factor receptor (P = 0.003), and a high level of p53 (P < 0.001) and Ki-67 expression (P < 0.00). The relapse rates during the follow-up period (median 56.8 months) were 14.7% for TN breast cancer and 6.6% for non-TN breast cancer (P = 0.004). Relapse-free survival (RFS) was significantly shorter among patients with TN breast cancer compared with those with non-TN breast cancer: 3.5-year RFS rate 85.5% versus 94.2%, respectively; P = 0.001. On multivariate analysis, young age, close resection margin, and triple negativity were independent predictors of shorter RFS. TN breast cancer had a higher relapse rate and more aggressive clinicopathological characteristics than non-TN in node-negative breast cancer. Thus, TN breast cancer should be integrated into risk factor analysis for node-negative breast cancer.

Keywords: ER; HER-2/neu; Ki-67; PgR; TN breast cancer; hormone receptors.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Immunohistochemical determination of ER using 1D5 antibody, a negative nuclear staining of tumor cells (A), PgR using PgR 636 antibody, negative nuclear staining of tumor cells (B), and (C) HER-2/neu antibody CB11, negative membrane staining of tumor cells in infiltrating duct breast cancer.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Kaplan–Meier plot of RFS according to triple negative (TN) phenotype.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Kaplan–Meier plot of cumulative relapse rate among patients with relapses. TN = triple negative breast cancer in Indian women.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Kaplan–Meier plots of RFS according to HR and HER-2/neu status.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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