The expression of fascin, an actin-bundling motility protein, correlates with hormone receptor–negative breast cancer and a more aggressive clinical course

BJ Yoder, E Tso, M Skacel, J Pettay, S Tarr, T Budd… - Clinical Cancer …, 2005 - AACR
BJ Yoder, E Tso, M Skacel, J Pettay, S Tarr, T Budd, RR Tubbs, JC Adams, DG Hicks
Clinical Cancer Research, 2005AACR
The invasion and metastasis of tumor cells is a major cause of mortality in cancer patients. In
the current study, we investigated the expression of fascin, an actin-bundling motility-
associated protein, in 210 invasive breast carcinomas with corresponding 5-year clinical
follow-up. Fascin expression was compared with hormone receptor (ER/PR) status, HER2
status, cancer grade, cancer stage, metastasis pattern, disease-free survival, and overall
survival. Fascin expression was seen in 16%(33/210) of the cases and correlated with ER …
Abstract
The invasion and metastasis of tumor cells is a major cause of mortality in cancer patients. In the current study, we investigated the expression of fascin, an actin-bundling motility-associated protein, in 210 invasive breast carcinomas with corresponding 5-year clinical follow-up. Fascin expression was compared with hormone receptor (ER/PR) status, HER2 status, cancer grade, cancer stage, metastasis pattern, disease-free survival, and overall survival. Fascin expression was seen in 16% (33/210) of the cases and correlated with ER negativity (22/33, P < 0.001), PR negativity (21/33, P < 0.001), Bloom-Richardson grade 3 (19/29, P < 0.001), and advanced stage (stage 3 or 4, P=0.04).There was no correlation between fascin expression and HER2 status or pattern of metastases. Patients whose tumors were positive for fascin showed both a decreased mean disease-free survival (74.44 versus 100.52 months, P = 0.002) and mean overall survival (77.58 versus 98.98 months, P = 0.002), independent of tumor stage and HER2 status, but not independent of ER/PR status or cancer grade. Given fascin's role in altering cell motility, overexpression may contribute to a more aggressive clinical course in ER/PR-negative breast cancers. If so, then fascin may represent a new molecular target for therapeutic intervention in patients with ER-negative breast cancer.
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