Age as an independent prognostic factor in breast cancer

OBJETIVO: comparar as características epidemiológicas e clínicas e a evolução pós-tratamento de mulheres com câncer de mama diagnosticadas antes ou após os 40 anos de idade. MÉTODOS: foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo, tipo caso-controle, com análise de informações obtidas dos prontuários de pacientes atendidas entre janeiro de 1994 e junho de 2004. Excluímos os casos com carcinomas intraductais e no estádio IV. Foram formados três grupos: pacientes com menos de 40 anos no diagnóstico (n=72), pacientes entre 40 e 50 anos (n=68) e pacientes com mais de 50 anos (n=75). Foram coletadas e analisadas informações sobre a idade no momento do diagnóstico, maior diâmetro das lesões, estadiamento clínico, tipo, grau histológico, presença de receptores hormonais e o estado dos linfonodos. O teste do chi2 foi empregado para variáveis qualitativas. Para as variáveis quantitativas que não apresentam distribuição normal (como número de gânglios axilares acometidos por metástases e tempo de seguimento), foi utilizado o teste de Kruskal-Wallis. Para a construção das curvas de sobrevida livre de doença e sobrevida global, foi utilizado o teste log-rank. RESULTADOS: não houve diferença na distribuição por estádios, no grau de diferenciação tumoral ou na distribuição dos tipos histológicos, na expressão de receptores de estrogênio ou c-erb-B2 entre os grupos. Encontramos diferença na expressão de receptores de estrogênio, que foi menos freqüente no grupo com menos de 40 anos em relação ao grupo com mais de 50 anos (36,2 versus 58,4%). Não houve diferença nos diâmetros tumorais, que foram em média de 5,1, 4,7 e 5 cm. Não encontramos diferença nas taxas de acometimento de linfonodos axilares, que foram de 63,9, 46,9 e 50%, respectivamente nas pacientes com menos de 40 anos, pacientes entre 40 e 50 anos e pacientes com mais de 50 anos. A média de seguimento foi de 54 meses nos três grupos. Houve recidiva da doença em 22,6% das pacientes com menos de 40 anos, 60% das pacientes entre 40 e 50 anos e 22,6% das pacientes com mais de 50 anos, com diferença significante (p<0,0001). Encontramos taxa de óbito pela doença de 46,9% nas pacientes com menos de 40 anos, mais elevada que nas pacientes entre 40 e 50 anos (26,9%) e pacientes com mais de 50 anos (22,6%), p=0,0019. A análise logística mostrou que somente a idade inferior a 40 anos e a presença de mais de um gânglio axilar acometido por metástase foram fatores independentes para risco de morte pela doença. CONCLUSÕES: A IDADe menor que 40 anos é um fator de risco independente no câncer de mama. Os indicadores de prognóstico tradicionais como estádio, diâmetro tumoral, comprometimento axilar e receptores hormonais não mostraram associação com a evolução das pacientes.PURPOSE: to compare the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics, and the follow-up of breast cancer in women diagnosed under and over 40 years of age. METHODS: a retrospective study, case-control type, with analysis of information obtained from medical records of patients attended from January 1994 to June 2004. Cases of intraductal carcinoma and at stage IV were excluded. Three groups were formed: patients under 40 years old at the diagnosis (n=72); patients between 40 and 50 (n=68) and patients over 50 (n=75). Data about age at the moment of diagnosis, lesion largest diameter, clinical stage, type, histological grade, presence of hormonal receptors and state of the lymph nodes were collected and analyzed. The chi2 test was used for qualitative variables. For quantitative variables without normal distribution (such as number of axillary nodes with metastasis and follow-up duration), the Kruskal-Wallis' test was used. For delineating the curves of free-of-disease and global survival, the log-rank test was used. RESULTS: there was no difference among the groups in the stage distribution, concerning the tumoral differentiation grade or in the distribution of histological types, and in the estrogen receptor and c-erb-B2 expression. Difference was found in the RP expression, which was less frequent in the group of patients under 40, than in the group of patients over 50 (36.2% versus 58.4%) respectively. There was no difference among the groups in the mean tumoral diameter (5.1, 4.7 and 5 cm, respectively). There was also no difference among the groups, concerning the rate of axillary lymph node metastasis (63.9, 46.9 and 50%, respectively). The average follow-up was 54 months for all the groups. Disease recurrence occurred in 22.6% of patients under 40 years old, in 60% of patients between 40 and 50, and in 22.6% of patients over 50, with a significant difference among groups (p<0.0001). Death caused by the disease was higher among patients under 40 (46.9%) than among patients between 40 and 50 (26.9%) and over 50 (22.6%), p=0.0019. The logistic analysis showed that "age under 40" and the "presence of more than one metastatic axillary node" were independent death risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: age under 40 is an independent risk factor for breast cancer. The traditional prognostic indicators, such as stage, tumoral diameter, axillary involvement and presence of hormonal receptors are not associated with the disease evolution

Expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with expression of hypoxia-inducible factors 1 and 2 alpha and predicts prognosis in locally advanced breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expression of hypoxia-inducible factors (hypoxia-inducible factor 1A and hypoxia-inducible factor 2A) and aldehyde dehydrogenase proteins in patients with locally advanced breast carcinoma who were subjected to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: We included 90 patients with histologically confirmed stage II and III breast carcinoma who were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2000 and 2005. Immunohistochemistry for aldehyde dehydrogenase, hypoxia-inducible factor 1A, and hypoxia-inducible factor 2A was performed before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed the influence of clinical and pathological features on clinical and pathological response, disease-free survival, and overall survival. RESULTS: An objective clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was observed in 80% of patients, with 12% showing a complete pathological response. Among all clinical and pathological parameters, only the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1A was associated with a pathological response. A positive association was found between expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase and that of hypoxia-inducible factor 1A before and after chemotherapy. Aldehyde dehydrogenase expression was associated with expression of hypoxia inducible-factor 2A in tumors after neoadjuvant treatment. In a univariate analysis, prognosis was influenced by age, pathological response, metastasis to axillary lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 2, and the presence of aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive cells within the primary tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In a multivariate analysis, only age and the presence of aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive cells after chemotherapy were associated with reduced overall survival. CONCLUSION: The presence of aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive cells within the residual tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with an increase in the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 2A and with poor prognosis in patients with locally advanced breast cancer

Locally advanced breast cancer: cyclin A and p27 protein for prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Introdução: a disfunção de proteínas que atuam no controle do ciclo celular está diretamente relacionada ao processo inicial de tumorigênese. A expressão de ciclina A em tumores de mama está relacionada à menor sobrevida livre de doença (SLD) e também à menor sobrevida global (SG). Da mesma maneira, a reduzida expressão de p27 em tumores de mama está relacionada à pior prognóstico. Ambas as alteraçõestêm sido relacionadas com tumores de alto grau histológico, maior diâmetro no momento do diagnóstico e expressão de c-erb-B2. Não há dados referentes à resposta clínica destes tumores ao tratamento neoadjuvante. Objetivos: o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar as taxas de positividade de expressão de ciclina A e proteína p27 em tumores de mama localmente avançados, antes e após quimioterapia neoadjuvante com Docetaxel (75 mg/m 2 ) e Epirrubicina (60 mg/m 2 ), a relação delas com resposta ao tratamento, SLD e SG. Metodologia: foram incluídas 92 pacientes tratadas no período entre janeiro de 1998 e dezembro de 2004, com aplicação de pelo menos dois ciclos de quimioterapia neoadjuvante a cada 21 dias e submetidas à cirurgia para tratamento loco-regional. A análise da expressão deciclina A e p27 foi feita por meio de imunohistoquímica, tendo sido considerados positivos os casos com expressão acima de 30 e 50%, respectivamente. Resultados: a mediana do número de ciclos de quimioterapia neoadjuvante foi de três (variando entre 2 e 7) e do tempo de seguimento de 40 meses (11 - 100). Observamos positividade de ciclina A antes da quimioterapia em 27 pacientes (29,3%) e de p27 em 42 pacientes (45,7%). Após a quimioterapia, a positividade para ciclina A foi de16,3% (15 pacientes) e de p27 de 29,3% (27 pacientes). A expressão de p27 nãofoi preditiva de resposta clínica ou patológica, SLD e SG. As taxas de resposta clínica foram iguais nas pacientes com e sem expressão de ciclina A antes daquimioterapia e a resposta patológica também foi semelhante. A manutenção de expressão de ciclina A após a quimioterapia esteve associada à menor resposta clínica completa (6,7 x 27,3%, p = 0,04), mas não à resposta patológica. Também esteve relacionada à menor SLD (p = 0,006) e à menor SG (p = 0,003). Não observamos relação entre expressão de ciclina A e p27 com acometimento ganglionar, grau histológico, receptores hormonais e c-erb-B2, diâmetro tumoral e estadio clínico. Na análise multivariada,a idade de menos de 41 anos no diagnóstico, acometimento de dois ou mais gânglios axilares e a expressão de ciclina A após a quimioterapia foram os fatores relacionados á óbito pela doença. Conclusões: observamos que a manutenção de expressão de ciclina A em tumores de mama localmente avançados após a quimioterapia neoadjuvante está relacionada à pior SLD e SG. Estes achados podem ser explicados pelo fato da expressão desta proteína identificar um grupo de tumores com alto índice de proliferação e maior agressividade. No nosso estudo, a expressão de p27 não foi preditiva de resposta ao tratamento neoadjuvante, SLD ou SG.Introduction: the dysfunction in proteins that act controlling role in the cell cycle is directly related to oncogenesis initial processes. Cyclin A high expression in breast tumors is related to poor Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Global Survival (GS). Breast tumors lacking p27 expression are also related to worse prognosis. Both are associated with high grade tumors, larger diameters at diagnosis and higher c-erb-B2 expression. There are no available data comparing these proteins to clinical response in neoadjuvant therapy setting. Objectives: the purpose of our study is analyze thepositivity rates of cyclin A and p27 expression in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) with Docetaxel (75 mg/m 2 ) and Epirrubicin (60 mg/m 2 ), their relation to treatment response, DFS and GS. Methods: ninety two patients were included between 1998 and 2004. They received at least two chemotherapy courses with 21 days intervals and were submitted to surgery, as local therapy, followed by radiotherapy if treated with breast conservative surgery. The expression ofcyclin A and p27 were evaluated through immunohistochemistry and only cases with expression higher than 30 and 50% (respectively) were considered positives. Results: the median chemotherapy cycle number was three (2 - 7) and the median follow-up time was 40 months (11 - 100). We observed cyclin A positivity before NCT in 27 patients (29,3%) and p27 in 42 (45,7%). After NCT, the positivity rates for cyclin A and p 27 were 16,3% (15 patients) and 29,3% (27 patients), respectively. The p27 expression wasnot predictive of clinical response, pathological response, DFS or GS. Cyclin A expression before chemo was also not predictive of clinical or pathological response. Expression of cyclin A after neoadjuvant therapy was associated to poorer clinical response (6,7 x 27,3%, p = 0,04) but not to pathological response. The maintenance of cyclin A expression after chemotherapy was also related to poor DFS (p = 0,006) and GS (p = 0,003). We were not able to findany relation between cyclin A and p27 expression and node status, histological grade, hormone receptors, c-erb-B2, tumor diameter and clinical staging. In multivariate analysis, age before 41 years, two or more positive lymph nodes and cyclin A expression were related to death by cancer. Conclusion: we concluded that p27 expression was not predictive of neoadjuvant response, DFS or GS. In contrary, the maintenance of cyclin A expression in LABC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is predictive of worse prognosis, poor DFS and GS. This is probably due tothese tumors high proliferation and aggressiveness

Locally advanced breast cancer: cyclin A and p27 protein for prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Introdução: a disfunção de proteínas que atuam no controle do ciclo celular está diretamente relacionada ao processo inicial de tumorigênese. A expressão de ciclina A em tumores de mama está relacionada à menor sobrevida livre de doença (SLD) e também à menor sobrevida global (SG). Da mesma maneira, a reduzida expressão de p27 em tumores de mama está relacionada à pior prognóstico. Ambas as alteraçõestêm sido relacionadas com tumores de alto grau histológico, maior diâmetro no momento do diagnóstico e expressão de c-erb-B2. Não há dados referentes à resposta clínica destes tumores ao tratamento neoadjuvante. Objetivos: o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar as taxas de positividade de expressão de ciclina A e proteína p27 em tumores de mama localmente avançados, antes e após quimioterapia neoadjuvante com Docetaxel (75 mg/m 2 ) e Epirrubicina (60 mg/m 2 ), a relação delas com resposta ao tratamento, SLD e SG. Metodologia: foram incluídas 92 pacientes tratadas no período entre janeiro de 1998 e dezembro de 2004, com aplicação de pelo menos dois ciclos de quimioterapia neoadjuvante a cada 21 dias e submetidas à cirurgia para tratamento loco-regional. A análise da expressão deciclina A e p27 foi feita por meio de imunohistoquímica, tendo sido considerados positivos os casos com expressão acima de 30 e 50%, respectivamente. Resultados: a mediana do número de ciclos de quimioterapia neoadjuvante foi de três (variando entre 2 e 7) e do tempo de seguimento de 40 meses (11 - 100). Observamos positividade de ciclina A antes da quimioterapia em 27 pacientes (29,3%) e de p27 em 42 pacientes (45,7%). Após a quimioterapia, a positividade para ciclina A foi de16,3% (15 pacientes) e de p27 de 29,3% (27 pacientes). A expressão de p27 nãofoi preditiva de resposta clínica ou patológica, SLD e SG. As taxas de resposta clínica foram iguais nas pacientes com e sem expressão de ciclina A antes daquimioterapia e a resposta patológica também foi semelhante. A manutenção de expressão de ciclina A após a quimioterapia esteve associada à menor resposta clínica completa (6,7 x 27,3%, p = 0,04), mas não à resposta patológica. Também esteve relacionada à menor SLD (p = 0,006) e à menor SG (p = 0,003). Não observamos relação entre expressão de ciclina A e p27 com acometimento ganglionar, grau histológico, receptores hormonais e c-erb-B2, diâmetro tumoral e estadio clínico. Na análise multivariada,a idade de menos de 41 anos no diagnóstico, acometimento de dois ou mais gânglios axilares e a expressão de ciclina A após a quimioterapia foram os fatores relacionados á óbito pela doença. Conclusões: observamos que a manutenção de expressão de ciclina A em tumores de mama localmente avançados após a quimioterapia neoadjuvante está relacionada à pior SLD e SG. Estes achados podem ser explicados pelo fato da expressão desta proteína identificar um grupo de tumores com alto índice de proliferação e maior agressividade. No nosso estudo, a expressão de p27 não foi preditiva de resposta ao tratamento neoadjuvante, SLD ou SG.Introduction: the dysfunction in proteins that act controlling role in the cell cycle is directly related to oncogenesis initial processes. Cyclin A high expression in breast tumors is related to poor Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Global Survival (GS). Breast tumors lacking p27 expression are also related to worse prognosis. Both are associated with high grade tumors, larger diameters at diagnosis and higher c-erb-B2 expression. There are no available data comparing these proteins to clinical response in neoadjuvant therapy setting. Objectives: the purpose of our study is analyze thepositivity rates of cyclin A and p27 expression in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) with Docetaxel (75 mg/m 2 ) and Epirrubicin (60 mg/m 2 ), their relation to treatment response, DFS and GS. Methods: ninety two patients were included between 1998 and 2004. They received at least two chemotherapy courses with 21 days intervals and were submitted to surgery, as local therapy, followed by radiotherapy if treated with breast conservative surgery. The expression ofcyclin A and p27 were evaluated through immunohistochemistry and only cases with expression higher than 30 and 50% (respectively) were considered positives. Results: the median chemotherapy cycle number was three (2 - 7) and the median follow-up time was 40 months (11 - 100). We observed cyclin A positivity before NCT in 27 patients (29,3%) and p27 in 42 (45,7%). After NCT, the positivity rates for cyclin A and p 27 were 16,3% (15 patients) and 29,3% (27 patients), respectively. The p27 expression wasnot predictive of clinical response, pathological response, DFS or GS. Cyclin A expression before chemo was also not predictive of clinical or pathological response. Expression of cyclin A after neoadjuvant therapy was associated to poorer clinical response (6,7 x 27,3%, p = 0,04) but not to pathological response. The maintenance of cyclin A expression after chemotherapy was also related to poor DFS (p = 0,006) and GS (p = 0,003). We were not able to findany relation between cyclin A and p27 expression and node status, histological grade, hormone receptors, c-erb-B2, tumor diameter and clinical staging. In multivariate analysis, age before 41 years, two or more positive lymph nodes and cyclin A expression were related to death by cancer. Conclusion: we concluded that p27 expression was not predictive of neoadjuvant response, DFS or GS. In contrary, the maintenance of cyclin A expression in LABC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is predictive of worse prognosis, poor DFS and GS. This is probably due tothese tumors high proliferation and aggressiveness

Expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with expression of hypoxia-inducible factors 1 and 2 alpha and predicts prognosis in locally advanced breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expression of hypoxia-inducible factors (hypoxia-inducible factor 1A and hypoxia-inducible factor 2A) and aldehyde dehydrogenase proteins in patients with locally advanced breast carcinoma who were subjected to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: We included 90 patients with histologically confirmed stage II and III breast carcinoma who were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2000 and 2005. Immunohistochemistry for aldehyde dehydrogenase, hypoxia-inducible factor 1A, and hypoxia-inducible factor 2A was performed before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed the influence of clinical and pathological features on clinical and pathological response, disease-free survival, and overall survival. RESULTS: An objective clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was observed in 80% of patients, with 12% showing a complete pathological response. Among all clinical and pathological parameters, only the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1A was associated with a pathological response. A positive association was found between expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase and that of hypoxia-inducible factor 1A before and after chemotherapy. Aldehyde dehydrogenase expression was associated with expression of hypoxia inducible-factor 2A in tumors after neoadjuvant treatment. In a univariate analysis, prognosis was influenced by age, pathological response, metastasis to axillary lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 2, and the presence of aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive cells within the primary tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In a multivariate analysis, only age and the presence of aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive cells after chemotherapy were associated with reduced overall survival. CONCLUSION: The presence of aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive cells within the residual tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with an increase in the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 2A and with poor prognosis in patients with locally advanced breast cancer