Presence of Foxp3 expression in tumor cells predicts better survival in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy

S Ladoire, L Arnould, G Mignot, B Coudert… - Breast cancer research …, 2011 - Springer
S Ladoire, L Arnould, G Mignot, B Coudert, C Rébé, F Chalmin, J Vincent, M Bruchard…
Breast cancer research and treatment, 2011Springer
Abstract The Forkhead Box Protein 3 is highly expressed not only in regulatory T cells, but
also in tumor cells, acting as a transcriptional repressor of breast oncogenes including
HER2. We investigated the prognostic significance of Foxp3 expression in cancer cells in a
large cohort of patients with HER2-overexpressing breast carcinoma treated with
neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Foxp3-positive tumor cells were detected by
immunohistochemistry in 103 patients with primary invasive HER2-overexpressing breast …
Abstract
The Forkhead Box Protein 3 is highly expressed not only in regulatory T cells, but also in tumor cells, acting as a transcriptional repressor of breast oncogenes including HER2. We investigated the prognostic significance of Foxp3 expression in cancer cells in a large cohort of patients with HER2-overexpressing breast carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Foxp3-positive tumor cells were detected by immunohistochemistry in 103 patients with primary invasive HER2-overexpressing breast carcinoma, and treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, with or without trastuzumab. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression model were used to assess relapse-free and overall survival, respectively, and according to the presence or the absence of Foxp3 expression in tumor cells. Breast cancer cells were Foxp3+ in 57% of tumors. Foxp3 expression in breast cancer cells was associated with better relapse-free (P = 0.005) and overall survival (P = 0.03). By multivariate analysis, the presence of Foxp3+ tumor cells produced an independent prognostic factor for both better relapse-free (P = 0.006) and overall survival (P = 0.03). These findings indicate that the presence of Foxp3+ tumor cells represents a new independent prognostic factor of improved outcome in HER2-overexpressing breast carcinoma, which could help identify high-risk patients for additional therapies after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
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