Abstract
Purpose
Our aim was to examine the prognostic significance of ERbeta1 and ERbeta2 expression in ERalpha-negative breast carcinomas.
Materials and methods
We evaluated nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of ERbeta1 and ERbeta2 by immunohistochemistry in a group of 95 patients with long follow-up. ERbeta1 and ERbeta2 status was correlated with clinicopathological parameters and disease outcome. Univariate and multivariate analyses of ERbeta1 and ERbeta2 as independent markers of disease-free survival (DFS) were carried out using the Cox proportional hazards model.
Results
Nuclear ERbeta1 (nERbeta1) and nERbeta2 status was positively correlated (p = 0.01). nERbeta1 positivity was associated with low histological grade (p = 0.01) in all patients and in the nERbeta2-positive subgroup (p = 0.03) but not in the nERbeta2-negative (p = 0.27). nERbeta2 positivity was associated with lymph node involvement and tumor relapse in all cases (p < 0.00 and p < 0.00, respectively) and in the nERbeta1-negative subgroup (p < 0.00 and p < 0.00, respectively) but not in the nERbeta1-positive (p = 0.09 and p = 0.20, respectively). nERbeta2 positivity was associated with poor DFS in all patients (log-rank p <0.00), in the post-menopausal patient subgroup (log-rank p = 0.02) and in the HER2-negative (triple-negative) subgroup (log-rank p = 0.04). Cox multivariate analysis including ERbeta1, ERbeta2 and established clinicopathological variables highlighted ERbeta2 as an independent marker of early disease recurrence (hazard ratio 4.87; 95 % confidence interval 1.07–22.3; p = 0.04).
Conclusion
High nERbeta2 is an independent marker of early relapse in ERalpha-negative breast carcinoma, and in particular, in the nERbeta1-negative, the post-menopausal patient and the triple-negative subgroups. These findings suggest that inhibition of expression and/or function of ERbeta2 could improve disease outcome.
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Abbreviations
- ER:
-
Estrogen receptor
- nERβ1:
-
Nuclear estrogen receptor β1
- nERβ2:
-
Nuclear estrogen receptor β2
- PgR:
-
Progesterone receptor
- IHC:
-
Immunohistochemistry
- FFPE:
-
Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded
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Acknowledgments
We thank Dr B. Steele (IBMCB-NHRF) for reviewing and editing the manuscript and Ms C. Vlachou for secretarial assistance. This research has been supported by EU European Social Fund and Greek national funds through the Operational Program “Education and Lifelong Learning” of the NSRF-Research Funding Program: Projects THALES 85355 and by the Greek Ministry of Development through grant 03ED644.
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Νiki Ι. Chantzi and Dina G. Tiniakos contributed equally to this work and share first authorship.
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Chantzi, Ν.Ι., Tiniakos, D.G., Palaiologou, M. et al. Estrogen receptor beta 2 is associated with poor prognosis in estrogen receptor alpha-negative breast carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 139, 1489–1498 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-013-1467-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-013-1467-4