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. 2018 Jun 15;10(6):1852-1859.
eCollection 2018.

Quantitative measurement of breast carcinoma fibrosis for the prediction in the risk of bone metastasis

Chong Sun  1 , Bin Wang  2 , Jianmin Li  3 , Junjie Shangguan  2 , Matteo Figini  2 , Kang Zhou  2 , Liang Pan  2 , Quanhong Ma  2 , Zhuoli Zhang  2   4
Affiliations

Quantitative measurement of breast carcinoma fibrosis for the prediction in the risk of bone metastasis

Chong Sun et al. Am J Transl Res. .

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have shown the poor prognosis of metastatic breast cancer including bone metastasis. The early prediction and intervention of invasive breast carcinoma with bone metastasis are crucial to the outcomes of patients. The purpose of our study is to test the hypothesis that the collagen deposition of primary breast cancer can be used as a quantitative biomarker for the early prediction of bone metastasis.

Methods: A total of sixty breast cancer patients were included in our study, and the surgical specimens of these patients were divided into three groups: patients with no metastasis (group 1), lymph node metastasis (group 2), and bone metastasis (group 3). Masson's trichrome staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining were applied to all primary breast cancers. Collagen area percentage and tumor cell measurement of each sample were measured by HistoQuest software.

Results: Measurement results of collagen area percentage (%) in primary breast tumors were 32.39 ± 13.30, 25.37 ± 11.10, and 22.71 ± 8.91 for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The corresponding P values were 0.0779 (group 1 vs. group 2), 0.4086 (group 2 vs. group 3), and 0.0102 (group 1 vs. group 3). The correlation between collagen area percentage and tumor cell measurement were group 1 (P = 0.5927, r = -0.1273), group 2 (P = 0.5711, r = -0.1348), and group 3 (P = 0.0003, r = -0.7253).

Conclusions: The collagen deposition of primary breast cancer can be used as a quantitative biomarker for the early prediction of bone metastasis.

Keywords: Invasive breast carcinoma; bone metastasis; collagen deposition; early prediction.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Clinical information of the three groups of patients (non-metastasis, lymph node metastasis, and bone metastasis): age (A), pathologic grade (B), greatest tumor diameter (C), and follow-up time (D).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A-C) Representative HE images of patients with no metastasis (A), lymph node metastasis (B), and bone metastasis (C). Scale bar indicates 100 µm. (A1-C1) Magnified images of typical areas from patients with no metastasis (A1), lymph node metastasis (B1), and bone metastasis (C1). Scale bar indicates 25 µm. (D) Tumor cell measurement result of the three groups of patients (non-metastasis, lymph node metastasis, and bone metastasis), the corresponding P values: P = 0.8048 (group 1 vs. group 2); P < 0.0001 (group 2 vs. group 3); P = 0.0081 (group 1 vs. group 3).
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A-C) Representative Masson’s trichrome stained images of patients with no metastasis (A), lymph node metastasis (B), and bone metastasis (C). Scale bar indicates 100 µm. (A1-C1) Magnified images of specific collagen fiber areas from patients with no metastasis (A1), lymph node metastasis (B1), and bone metastasis (C1). Scale bar indicates 25 µm. (D) Collagen area percentage (%) result of the non-metastasis group, lymph node metastasis group, and bone metastasis group; the corresponding P values: P = 0.0779 (group 1 vs. group 2), P = 0.4086 (group 2 vs. group 3), and P = 0.0102 (group 1 vs. group 3).
Figure 4
Figure 4
(A-C) Correlation between collagen area percentage (%) and tumor cell measurement for the patients with no metastasis (A), lymph node metastasis (B), and bone metastasis (C); the corresponding statistical results: non-metastasis group (P = 0.5927, r = -0.1273), lymph node metastasis group (P = 0.5711, r = -0.1348), and bone metastasis group (P = 0.0003, r = -0.7253). (D) The trend existing in the results of collagen area percentage and tumor cell measurement from the non-metastasis group through lymph node metastasis group to bone metastasis group.
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