• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10577-10583
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• 2015

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), characterized by the lack of expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2, is typically associated with a poor prognosis. The majority of TNBCs show the expression of basal markers on gene expression profiling and most authors accept TNBC as basal-like (BL) breast cancer. However, a smaller fraction lacks a BL phenotype despite being TNBC. The literature is silent on non-basal-like (NBL) type of TNBC. The present study was aimed at defining behavioral differences between BL and NBL phenotypes. Objectives: i) Identify the TNBCs and categorize them into BL and NBL breast cancer. ii) Examine the behavioral differences between two subtypes. iii) Observe the pattern of treatment failure among TNBCs. Materials and Methods: All TNBC cases during January 2009-December 2010 were retrieved. The subjects fitting the inclusion criteria of study were differentiated into BL and NBL phenotypes using surrogate immunohistochemistry with three basal markers $34{\beta}E12$, c-Kit and EGFR as per the algorithm defined by Nielsen et al. The detailed data of subjects were collated from clinical records. The comparison of clinicopathological features between two subgroups was done using statistical analyses. The pattern of treatment failure along with its association with prognostic factors was assessed. Results: TNBC constituted 18% of breast cancer cases considered in the study. The BL and NBL subtypes accounted for 81% and 19% respectively of the TNBC group. No statistically significant association was seen between prognostic parameters and two phenotypes. Among patients with treatment failure, 19% were with BL and 15% were with NBL phenotype. The mean disease free survival (DFS) in groups BL and NBL was 30.0 and 37.9 months respectively, while mean overall survival (OS) was 31.93 and 38.5 months respectively. Treatment failure was significantly associated with stage (p=.023) among prognostic factors. Conclusions: Disease stage at presentation is an important prognostic factor influencing the treatment failure and survival among TNBCs. Increasing tumor size is related to lymph node positivity. BL tumors have a more aggressive clinical course than that of NBL as shown by shorter DFS and OS, despite having no statistically significant difference between prognostic parameters. New therapeutic alternatives should be explored for patients with this subtype of breast cancer.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.288-293
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the effects of the ethanol extract of aerial parts of Raphanus sativus L. (ERL) on breast cancer cell proliferation and gene expression associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. The MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in the presence or absence of various concentrations (100, 200, or 300 ${\mu}g$/mL) of ERL. ERL significantly decreased cell proliferation after 48 h of incubation (P < 0.05). The protein and mRNA expression of $ErbB_2$ were decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The protein expression of $ErbB_3$ was decreased significantly at an ERL concentration of 300 ${\mu}g$/mL (P < 0.05), and mRNA expression of $ErbB_3$ was decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The protein expression of Akt was decreased significantly at the ERL concentration of 200 ${\mu}g$/mL (P < 0.05), and the protein expression of pAkt was decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of Akt was decreased significantly at the ERL concentration of 200 ${\mu}g$/mL ERL (P < 0.05). The protein and mRNA expression of Bax were increased significantly at ERL concentrations of 200 ${\mu}g$/mL or higher (P < 0.05). The protein expression of $Bcl_2$ was increased significantly at ERL concentrations of 100 ${\mu}g$/mL or higher (P < 0.05), and mRNA expression of $Bcl_2$ was increased significantly at an ERL concentration of 300 ${\mu}g$/mL (P < 0.05). In conclusion, we suggest that Raphanus sativus, L. inhibits cell proliferation via the ErbB-Akt pathway in MDA-MB-231 cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5539-5544
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• 2014

Background: To evaluate the location of tumor relapse and imaging modality for detection according to the breast cancer subtype: luminal A, luminal B, HER2 positive luminal B, nonluminal HER2 positive, and triple negative. Materials and Methods: A total of 1244 patients with breast cancer with known estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), Ki-67 and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), who underwent breast surgery from 2009 to 2012 were analyzed. Patients were classified into the following categories: luminal A (n=458), luminal B (n=241), HER2 positive luminal B (n=227), nonluminal HER2 positive (n=145) and triple negative (n=173). A total of 105 cases of relapse were detected in 102 patients: locoregional recurrence (n=46), recurrence in the contralateral breast (n=28) and distant metastasis (n=31). Comparison of proportions was used to determine the difference between subtypes. Results: Relapse rates by subtypes are as follows: luminal A 23 of 458 (5.02%), luminal B 19 of 241(7.88%), HER2 positive luminal B 15 of 227 (6.61%), nonluminal HER2 postive 19 of 145 (13.10%) and triple negative 29 of 173(16.76%). Luminal A tumors had the lowest rate of recurrence and had significantly lower recurrence rate in comparison with nonluminal HER2 postive (p=0.0017) and triple negative subtypes (p<0.0001). Compared with all other subtypes except nonluminal HER2 positive, triple negative tumors had the highest rate of tumor recurrence (p<0.01). Triple negatives were most likely to develop contralateral recurrence against all subtypes (p<0.05). Detection rate of locoregional and contralateral tumor recurrence were 28.3% on mammography (n=17/60). Conclusions: Luminal A tumors are associated with a low risk of recurrence while triple negative lesions have a high risk. In case of triple negative tumors, the contralateral breast has much more recurrence as compared with all other subtype. In terms of detection rates, breast USG was the best modality for detecting tumor recurrence, compared with other modalities (p<0.05). Subtyping of breast tumors using a molecular gene expression panel can identify patients who have increased risk of recurrence and allow prediction of locations of tumor recurrence for each subtype.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2012

Background: The survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases is reported to be 3~6 months even with aggressive treatment. Some patients have very short survival after aggressive treatment and reliable prognostic scoring systems for patients with cancer have a strong correlation with outcome, often supporting decision making and treatment recommendations. Methods: A total of one hundred twenty two NSCLC patients with brain metastases who received gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) were analyzed. Survival analysis was calculated in all patients for thirteen available prognostic factors and four prognostic scoring systems: score index for radiosurgery (SIR), recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), graded prognostic assessment (GPA), and basic score for brain metastases (BSBM). Results: Age, Karnofsky performance status, largest brain lesion volume, systemic chemotherapy, primary tumor control, and medication of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor were statistically independent prognostic factors for survival. A multivariate model of SIR and RPA identified significant differences between each group of scores. We found that three-tiered indices such as SIR and RPA are more useful than four-tiered scoring systems (GPA and BSBM). Conclusion: There is little value of RPA class III (most unfavorable group) for the same results of 6-month and 1-year survival rate. Thus, SIR is the most useful index to sort out patients with poorer prognosis. Further prospective trials should be performed to develop a new molecular- and gene-based prognostic index model.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2008

The efficient soluble expression of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) was achieved by using functional fusion partners in cytoplasm and periplasm of Escherichia coli (E. coli). hEGF was over-expressed in inactive inclusion body form in cytoplasm of E. coli due to improper disulfide bond formation and hydrophobic interaction, yielding about 5.9 mg/L in flask culture. Six functional fusion partners were introduced by linking to N-terminal part of hEGF gene for the high-level expression of soluble and active hEGF in cytoplasm and peri plasm region. Three fusion partners for cytoplasmic expression such as acidic tail of synuclein (ATS), thioredoxin (Trx) and lipase, and three fusion partners for periplasmic expression such as periplasmic cystein oxidoreductases (DsbA and DsbC) and maltose binding protein (MBP) were investigated. hEGF fused with ATS and DsbA showed over 90% of solubility in cytoplasm and periplasm, respectively. Especially DsbA was found to be an efficient fusion partner for soluble and high-level expression of hEGF, yielding about 18.1 mg/L and three-fold higher level compared to that of insoluble non-fusion hEGF in cytoplasm. Thus, heterologous proteins containing complex disulfide bond and many hydrophobic amino acids can effectively be produced as an active form in E. coli by introducing a suitable peptide or protein.