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Kumar RMR, Joghee S. Enhancing breast cancer treatment through pharmacogenomics: A narrative review. Clin Chim Acta 2024; 562:119893. [PMID: 39068964 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2024.119893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Pharmacogenomics has become integral to personalised medicine in breast cancer, utilising genetic insights to customize treatment strategies and enhance patient outcomes. Understanding how genetic variations influence drug metabolism, response, and toxicity is crucial for guiding treatment selection and dosing regimens. Genetic polymorphisms in drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters significantly impact pharmacokinetic variability, influencing the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy agents and targeted therapies. Biomarkers associated with the hormone receptor status of breast cancer and mutations serve as key determinants of treatment response, aiding in the selection of therapies. Despite substantial progress in understanding the pharmacogenomic landscape of breast cancer, efforts to identify novel genetic markers and refine treatment optimisation strategies are required. Genome-wide association studies and advanced sequencing technologies hold promise for uncovering genetic determinants of drug response variability and elucidating complex pharmacogenomic interactions. The future of pharmacogenomics in breast cancer lies in real-time treatment monitoring, the discovery of additional predictive markers, and the seamless integration of pharmacogenomic data into clinical decision-making processes. However, translating pharmacogenomic discoveries into routine clinical practice requires collaborative efforts among stakeholders to address implementation challenges and ensure equitable access to genetic testing. By embracing pharmacogenomics, clinicians can tailor treatment approaches to individual patients, maximizing therapeutic benefits while minimizing adverse effects. This review discusses the integration of pharmacogenomics in breast cancer treatment, highlighting the significance of understanding genetic influences on treatment response and toxicity, and the potential of advanced technologies in refining treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Mohan Ram Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, Karnataka, India.
| | - Suresh Joghee
- Department of Pharmacognosy, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
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Loggie J, Barnes PJ, Carter MD, Rayson D, Bethune GC. Is Oncotype DX testing informative for breast cancers with low ER expression? A retrospective review from a biomarker testing referral center. Breast 2024; 75:103715. [PMID: 38520994 PMCID: PMC10973721 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2024.103715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE It remains unclear whether patients with HER2-negative, low-estrogen receptor (ER-low)-positive early breast cancer (BC) benefit from Oncotype DX® (ODX) testing. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of cases referred for ODX testing over a seven-year period from a breast biomarker testing referral center (n = 854). For each case, we recorded the ODX Recurrence Score (RS) along with percentage of ER nuclear positivity and staining intensity on immunohistochemistry. Our criteria for ER-low was defined as ≤10% cells with nuclear positivity and/or weak intensity of staining. Slides from all ER-low cases were reviewed and the reported ODX ER gene scores were recorded. We randomly selected a comparator group of 56 patients with ER > 10% positivity and non-weak staining intensity (ER-high). RESULTS We identified 27 cases (3.2%) that met our criteria for ER-low. Of these, 92.6% had a high RS (>25), and 7.4% had a RS of 25. All cases with ≤10% ER nuclear positivity had a high RS. Most ER-low cases (85.2%) had ODX quantitative ER gene scores in the negative range, whereas all (100%) ER-high cases had positive ER gene scores. CONCLUSION ODX does not appear to add significant additional information to inform treatment decisions for most patients with ER-low BC. Incorporating weak ER staining intensity in addition to low percentage of nuclear positivity identifies about twice as many ER-low patients, although with reduced specificity for high RS. Our study supports the contention that most ER-low early BC should be regarded similarly to ER-negative BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Loggie
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5788 University Ave, Halifax, NS, B3H 1V8, Canada
| | - Penelope J Barnes
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5788 University Ave, Halifax, NS, B3H 1V8, Canada
| | - Michael D Carter
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5788 University Ave, Halifax, NS, B3H 1V8, Canada
| | - Daniel Rayson
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, QEII-Bethune Building, 1276 South Park Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 2Y9, Canada
| | - Gillian C Bethune
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5788 University Ave, Halifax, NS, B3H 1V8, Canada.
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Lin M, Luo T, Jin Y, Zhong X, Zheng D, Zeng C, Guo Q, Wu J, Shao ZM, Hu X, Yang W, Zhang J. HER2-low heterogeneity between primary and paired recurrent/metastatic breast cancer: Implications in treatment and prognosis. Cancer 2024; 130:851-862. [PMID: 37933913 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the largest sample size to date, the authors' objective was to investigate the incidence of primary-to-metastatic human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) conversion and the predictors for such conversion. Moreover, no previous studies have evaluated the prognosis of patients who have negative HER2 expression (HER2-0) versus low HER2 expression (HER2-low) when HER2 status was assessed based on all recurrent/metastatic lesions. METHODS The authors included 1299 patients who had available HER2 status of primary breast tumors and paired recurrent/metastatic lesions at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and West China Hospital. RESULTS In total, 370 patients (28.5%) experienced primary-to-metastatic HER2 conversion. Intrapatient intermetastasis spatial heterogeneity and temporal heterogeneity of HER2 were detected. When assessing HER2 based on recurrent/metastatic tumors, patients who had HER2-0 tumors had significantly shorter overall survival than those who had HER2-low tumors in the overall population and in the estrogen receptor (ER)-negative subgroup. However, when assessing HER2 based on primary tumors, there was no difference in overall survival between patients who had HER2-0 versus HER2-low tumors. Moreover, patients who had tumors that converted from HER2-0 to HER2-low had longer overall survival than those who had consistent HER2-0 status in the ER-negative subgroup. By combining four predictors (ER status, Ki67 index, biopsy site, and disease-free interval), the authors established the first prediction tool to estimate the probability of HER2-0 tumors converting to HER2-low/positive tumors. CONCLUSIONS Intrapatient primary-to-metastatic and intermetastatic HER2 heterogeneity were observed in this large-scale cohort study. When evaluating HER2 based on recurrent/metastatic tumors, an overall survival difference was observed between patients who had HER2-0 versus HER2-low, recurrent/metastatic breast tumors. The developed prediction tool might help clinicians screen out patients with primary HER2-0 tumors that have a high probability of HER2 status conversion and recommend them for re-biopsy, thus helping to screen out candidate patients for trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxi Lin
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Breast and Urinary Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Luo
- Breast Disease Center, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Multi-Omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Collaborative, Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yizi Jin
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaorong Zhong
- Breast Disease Center, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Multi-Omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Collaborative, Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dan Zheng
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Cheng Zeng
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Guo
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiong Wu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Ming Shao
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Xichun Hu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Breast and Urinary Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Wentao Yang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Phase I Clinical Trial Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
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Hage AM, Gebert P, Blohmer JU, Hedayati E, Speiser D, Karsten MM. Subtype-Specific Survival of Young Women with Breast Cancer and Its Interaction with the Germline BRCA Status. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:738. [PMID: 38398129 PMCID: PMC10887122 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Data are scarce on the role of pathogenic germline variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 (gBRCAm) in subtype-specific survival in young women who develop breast cancer under the age of 40. This retrospective, real-world cohort study assessed the distant disease-free survival (DDFS) and overall survival (OS) of young women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2008 and 2019 while taking into consideration the interaction of clinical subtypes and the gBRCA status. Among 473 women, HR+/Her2- was the most common subtype (49.0%), followed by TNBC (31.3%), HR+/Her2+ (13.7%), and Her2+/HR- (5.9%). The gBRCA status was known for 319 cases (gBRCAwt (wild-type - without pathogenic variants in BRCA1 or BRCA2): 204, gBRCA1m: 83, gBRCA2m: 31, 1 patient with both). The distribution of clinical subtypes varied depending on the gBRCA status (p < 0.001). In survival analysis with a median follow-up of 43 months, the unadjusted DDFS and OS were worse for gBRCAwt TNBC compared to both HR+ subtypes, but not for gBRCAm TNBC patients. T-stage, nodal involvement, and the gBRCA status were identified as significant for survival in TNBC. In TNBC, gBRCAm was associated with better DDFS and OS than gBRCAwt (5-year DDFS 81.4% vs. 54.3%, p = 0.012 and 5-year OS 96.7% vs. 62.7%, p < 0.001). In contrast, in HR+/Her2- patients, gBRCAm patients showed a tendency for worse survival, though not statistically significant. Subtype-specific survival in young women with breast cancer needs to be evaluated in interaction with the gBRCA status. For TNBC, gBRCAm is of favorable prognostic value for overall survival, while patients with gBRCAwt TNBC need to be considered to have the highest risk for adverse survival outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Hage
- Department of Gynecology with Breast Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Pimrapat Gebert
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens-Uwe Blohmer
- Department of Gynecology with Breast Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Elham Hedayati
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Centre, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dorothee Speiser
- Department of Gynecology with Breast Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Margarete Karsten
- Department of Gynecology with Breast Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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Malainou CP, Stachika N, Damianou AK, Anastopoulos A, Ploumaki I, Triantafyllou E, Drougkas K, Gomatou G, Kotteas E. Estrogen-Receptor-Low-Positive Breast Cancer: Pathological and Clinical Perspectives. Curr Oncol 2023; 30:9734-9745. [PMID: 37999126 PMCID: PMC10670665 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30110706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) in breast cancer (BC) represents a strong prognostic and predictive biomarker and directs therapeutic decisions in early and advanced stages. ER-low-positive BC, defined by the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of ERs from 1% to 9%, constitutes a distinct subset of total BC cases. Guidelines recommend that a low expression of ERs be reported in pathology reports since the benefit of endocrine therapy in patients with ER-low-positive BC is uncertain. Recently, several cohorts, mostly of a retrospective nature, have been published, reporting the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of ER-low-positive BC. However, the majority of the data focus on early-stage BC and the use of (neo)adjuvant therapy, and there is a significant lack of data regarding metastatic ER-low-positive BC. Further factors, including tumor heterogeneity as well as the potential loss of ER expression due to endocrine resistance, should be considered. Including patients with ER-low-positive BC in clinical trials for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) might improve the understanding of this entity and allow novel therapeutic approaches. The design and conduction of randomized clinical trials regarding this subgroup of patients are greatly anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Georgia Gomatou
- Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, “Sotiria” General Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Messogion Avenue, 11527 Athens, Greece (E.K.)
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Clelland EN, Rothschild HT, Patterson A, Molina-Vega J, Kaur M, Symmans WF, Schwartz CJ, Chien AJ, Benz CC, Mukhtar RA. Quantifying hormone receptor status in lobular breast cancer in an institutional series: the relationship between estrogen and progesterone receptor status and outcomes. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2023; 202:367-375. [PMID: 37500962 PMCID: PMC10505592 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-07059-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Recent guidelines defined a new reporting category of ER-low-positive breast cancer based on immunohistochemistry (IHC). While low positivity of either hormone receptor is uncommon in invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), we sought to investigate whether relatively low hormone receptor positivity was associated with tumor characteristics and patient outcomes in a single institutional cohort. METHODS We searched an institutional database for cases of stage I-III ILC with available IHC reports. Based on prior published categories in ILC, ER was classified as low, medium, or high as defined by ER staining of 10-69%, 70-89%, and ≥ 90% respectively. PR low and high tumors were defined by < 20%, or ≥ 20% staining respectively. We used chi-squared tests, t-tests, and Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate associations between ER/PR categories and tumor characteristics or disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS The cohort consisted of 707 ILC cases, with 11% of cases categorized as ER low, 15.1% as medium, and 73.8% as high. The majority (67.6%) were PR high. Patients with ER low/medium expression were significantly younger, and more likely to also have PR low and/or HER2 positive tumors compared to those that were ER high. In a Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for age, stage, grade, pleomorphic histology, and treatment, ER category was not prognostic for DFS, but PR negative and PR low status each had significantly worse DFS compared to PR high status (HR 3.5, 95% CI 1.8-6.7, p < 0.001; and HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.5, p = 0.015, respectively). CONCLUSION These findings highlight the relevance of quantifying ER and PR within ILC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elle N Clelland
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Harriet T Rothschild
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anne Patterson
- Department of Surgery, University of California, 1825 4th Street, 3rd Floor, Box 1710, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Julissa Molina-Vega
- Department of Surgery, University of California, 1825 4th Street, 3rd Floor, Box 1710, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Mandeep Kaur
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - W Fraser Symmans
- Department of Pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christopher J Schwartz
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - A Jo Chien
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Christopher C Benz
- Cancer & Developmental Therapeutics Program, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, USA
| | - Rita A Mukhtar
- Department of Surgery, University of California, 1825 4th Street, 3rd Floor, Box 1710, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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Fan Y, Zhong X, Wang Y, Wang Z, Luo T, Wang Y, Zheng H. A prospective cohort study of clinical characteristics and outcomes in Chinese patients with estrogen receptor-negative/progesterone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2023:10.1007/s10549-023-06964-6. [PMID: 37199804 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-06964-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to examine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with estrogen receptor-negative (ER-)/progesterone receptor-positive (PR+) early breast cancer. We also aimed to investigate the benefits of adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) in this patient population. METHODS Patients with early breast cancer diagnosed at West China Hospital were divided into the ER-/PR+, ER+, and ER-/PR- groups. The chi-square test was used to analyze differences in clinical and pathological features among the groups. Multivariable Cox and Fine-Gray regression models were used to compare mortality and locoregional recurrence (LRR)/distant recurrence (DR), respectively. We performed a subgroup analysis to determine which ER-/PR+ patients can benefit more from ET. RESULTS From 2008 to 2020, we enrolled 443, 7104, and 2892 patients into the ER-/PR+, ER+, and ER-/PR- groups, respectively. The ER-/PR+ group showed more unfavorable clinical features and aggressive pathological characteristics than the ER+ group. The mortality, LRR, and DR rates were higher in the ER-/PR+ than in the ER+ group. Most clinical features and pathological characteristics were similar between the ER-/PR+ and ER-/PR- group and their outcomes were comparable. In the ER-/PR+ group, patients who received ET showed significantly lower LRR and mortality rates than those who did not; however, no difference was observed in DR. Subgroup analysis suggested that ER-/PR+ patients age ≥ 55 years, and postmenopausal status can benefit from ET. CONCLUSION ER-/PR+ tumors have more aggressive pathological characteristics and more unfavorable clinical features than ER+ tumors. ET can reduce the LRR and mortality rates in ER-/PR+ patients. Postmenopausal and age ≥ 55 years ER-/PR+ patients can benefit from ET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fan
- Breast Center and Multi-omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaorong Zhong
- Breast Center and Multi-omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Wang
- Breast Center and Multi-omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhu Wang
- Breast Center and Multi-omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Luo
- Breast Center and Multi-omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanping Wang
- Breast Center and Multi-omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hong Zheng
- Breast Center and Multi-omics Laboratory of Breast Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
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Reinert T, Cascelli F, de Resende CAA, Gonçalves AC, Godo VSP, Barrios CH. Clinical implication of low estrogen receptor (ER-low) expression in breast cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1015388. [PMID: 36506043 PMCID: PMC9729538 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1015388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, and the estrogen receptor (ER) remains the most important biomarker in breast oncology. Most guidelines set a positive expression threshold of 1% staining in immunohistochemistry (IHC) to define ER positivity. However, different expression levels may be associated with diverse degrees of sensitivity to endocrine therapy as ER expression may impact breast cancer molecular biology as a continuous variable. ER-lo tumors, defined as those with 1-10% ER expression, represent a relatively small subgroup of breast cancer patients, with an estimated prevalence of 2-7%. These tumors are similar to ERneg disease in their molecular landscape, clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis, and response to therapy. Nevertheless, a proportion may retain some degree of ER signaling dependency, and the possibility of responding to some degree to endocrine therapy cannot be completely ruled out. This review article discusses the most important considerations regarding the definition of ER positivity, pathology assessment, prognosis, and therapeutic implication of ERlo breast cancer from the medical oncology perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Reinert
- Breast Medical Oncology, Oncoclínicas, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Breast Cancer Group, Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Fanny Cascelli
- Breast Medical Oncology, Oncoclínicas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Carlos Henrique Barrios
- Breast Medical Oncology, Oncoclínicas, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Breast Cancer Group, Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Zhou M, Yan JQ, Chen QX, Yang YZ, Li YL, Ren YX, Weng ZJ, Zhang XF, Guan JX, Tang LY, Ren ZF. Association of H3K9me3 with breast cancer prognosis by estrogen receptor status. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:135. [PMID: 36303253 PMCID: PMC9609245 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01363-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cellular experiments revealed that a decreased histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) level was associated with the upregulation of oncogenes in breast cancer cells. Moreover, the role of H3K9me3 in breast cancer was closely associated with estrogen receptor (ER) status. Therefore, we aimed to examine the prognostic value of H3K9me3 on breast cancer by ER status. The level of H3K9me3 in tumors were evaluated with tissue microarrays by immunohistochemistry for 917 women diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated using Cox regression models. Interaction between H3K9me3 and ER on the prognosis was assessed on multiplicative scale. Results The level of H3K9me3 in tumor tissues was lower than that in adjacent tissues. The high level of H3K9me3 was associated with a better OS (HR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.21–0.86) and PFS (HR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.29–0.81) among only ER-positive but not ER-negative tumors. Moreover, the interaction between the level of H3K9me3 and ER status (negative and positive) on the prognosis was significant (Pinteraction = 0.011 for OS; Pinteraction = 0.022 for PFS). Furthermore, the ER-positive tumors were stratified by ER-low and ER-high positive tumors, and the prognostic role of H3K9me3 was significant among only ER-high positive patients (HR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13–0.85 for OS; HR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.26–0.86 for PFS). Conclusions Our study showed that the prognostic value of H3K9me3 on breast cancer was related to ER status and expression level, and the high level of H3K9me3 was associated with a better prognosis among ER-positive tumors, particularly ER-high positive tumors. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-022-01363-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhou
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Rd, Guangzhou, 510080 China
| | - Jin-qi Yan
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Rd, Guangzhou, 510080 China
| | - Qian-xin Chen
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Rd, Guangzhou, 510080 China
| | - Yuan-zhong Yang
- grid.488530.20000 0004 1803 6191The Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-lin Li
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Rd, Guangzhou, 510080 China ,grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XThe First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-xiang Ren
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XThe Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou, 510630 China
| | - Zi-jin Weng
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XThe Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou, 510630 China
| | - Xiao-fang Zhang
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XThe Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou, 510630 China
| | - Jie-xia Guan
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XThe Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou, 510630 China
| | - Lu-ying Tang
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XThe Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou, 510630 China
| | - Ze-fang Ren
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Rd, Guangzhou, 510080 China
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Xie Y, Yang L, Wu Y, Zheng H, Gou Q. Adjuvant endocrine therapy in patients with estrogen receptor-low positive breast cancer: A prospective cohort study. Breast 2022; 66:89-96. [PMID: 36209701 PMCID: PMC9551143 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about the benefits of adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) in low ER-positive breast cancer (1%-10%) patients. We analyzed the association between ET and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in these patients with respect to the regimen and the duration of ET. METHODS Patients were classified into three groups based on the regimen and duration of ET. The regimens included aromatase inhibitor (AI) monotherapy or sequential tamoxifen followed by an AI (AI/T + AI), or only tamoxifen and no ET. The duration of ET included 2-3 years and >3 years. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was employed to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS Of the 10,696 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2020, 407 women were identified with ER-low positive disease and met the inclusion criteria. During a median follow-up of 5.2 years, patients who received ET improved BCSS. Of them, those with AI/T + AI had increased BCSS compared to patients without ET, after adjusting for demographics and tumor characteristics, especially in ER-low/HER-2-positive breast cancer. After additional adjustment for treatment mode, the association maintained a similar trend. Patients who received >3 years of ET was associated with a better DFS. There was no significant difference in BCSS between patients with 2-3 years and >3 years of ET. CONCLUSION For ER-low patients, findings suggest that ET with AI/T + AI may be a reasonable treatment alternative. This effect should be assessed in randomized studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Xie
- Department of Medical Oncology of Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, Clinical Research Center for Breast, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Libo Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, Clinical Research Center for Breast, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China,Department of Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanqi Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology of Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, Clinical Research Center for Breast, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hong Zheng
- Department of Medical Oncology of Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, Clinical Research Center for Breast, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiheng Gou
- Department of Medical Oncology of Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, Clinical Research Center for Breast, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China,Department of Radiation Oncology and Head & Neck Oncology Division, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,Corresponding author. Department of Medical Oncology of Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, China. Tel: +86-28-85422685
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Bari S, Boulware D, Li J, Loftus L, Soyano Muller A, Jameel Z, Khong H, Czerniecki BJ, Costa RLB. A Real-World Data Retrospective Cohort Study of Low Estrogen Receptor-Positive Early Breast Cancer: Natural History and Treatment Outcomes. BREAST CANCER: TARGETS AND THERAPY 2022; 14:199-210. [PMID: 35967746 PMCID: PMC9365325 DOI: 10.2147/bctt.s371975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease, and there is an ongoing debate regarding the optimal cut point for clinically relevant ER expression. We used a real-world database to assess the prognostic and predictive values of lower ER expression levels on treatment outcomes with endocrine therapy. Methods We used a nationwide electronic health record database. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the association between ER expression, tumor characteristics, and treatment patterns among patients with early-stage BC. We used Kaplan–Meier survival curves to estimate recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). We assessed associations between an alternative ER expression-level cut point and clinical outcomes. Results Among 4697 patients with early-stage HER2-negative BC, 83 (2.04%) had ER+-low BC (ER expression, 1–9.99%) and 36 (0.88%) had ER+-intermediate BC (10–19.9%). ER+-low tumors were associated with higher tumor grade, larger size, and higher axillary tumor burden than ER+-high tumors (≥20% ER expression). African Americans had a higher prevalence of both triple-negative BC (TNBC) and ER+-low BC than ER+-high BC. Patients with ER+-low and ER+-intermediate tumors had survival outcomes similar to patients with TNBC and worse survival outcomes than patients with ER+-high tumors (P < 0.001). Tumors with <20% ER expression were associated with worse outcomes. Conclusion In our cohort, patients with BCs with ER expression levels <20% had poor clinical outcomes similar to those of patients with TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahla Bari
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David Boulware
- Department of Biostatistics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jiannong Li
- Department of Biostatistics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Loretta Loftus
- Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Aixa Soyano Muller
- Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Zena Jameel
- Department of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Hung Khong
- Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Brian J Czerniecki
- Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ricardo L B Costa
- Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
- Correspondence: Ricardo LB Costa, Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA, Tel +813 745 3806, Fax +813 745 7287, Email
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Kim MC, Park MH, Choi JE, Kang SH, Bae YK. Characteristics and Prognosis of Estrogen Receptor Low-Positive Breast Cancer. J Breast Cancer 2022; 25:318-326. [PMID: 35914748 PMCID: PMC9411025 DOI: 10.4048/jbc.2022.25.e31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The updated American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists guideline for estrogen receptor (ER) testing recommends that breast cancer with ER expression in 1–10% of tumor cells should be reported as ER-low positive (ERlow), although limited data are available on the overall benefits of endocrine therapy. We investigated the clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcomes of ERlow breast cancer and to compare them with those of ER-negative (ERneg) and ER-high (> 10% of tumor cells, ERhigh) breast cancers. Methods Consecutive patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent curative surgery between November 2007 and December 2014 were included. Clinicopathological characteristics and disease-free survival (DFS) of ERlow tumors were compared with those of ERneg and ERhigh tumors. Results Of the 2,309 cases included, 46 (2%), 643 (27.8%), and 1,620 (70.2%) were ERlow, ERneg, and ERhigh, respectively. ERlow tumors were associated with no special type of histology (p = 0.011), advanced pT (p = 0.017), pN (p = 0.009) and anatomic stages (p < 0.001), high grade (p < 0.001), negative/low progesterone receptor (PR) status (p < 0.001), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positivity (p < 0.001), high Ki-67 (p < 0.001), and recurrence (p = 0.006) compared to ERhigh tumors. DFS was significantly dependent on ER status, and ERlow tumors showed poorer DFS than ERhigh tumors (p = 0.001), however, there was no significant survival difference between ERlow and ERneg tumors. Furthermore, DFS in ERhigh patients was affected by hormone therapy (p < 0.001), while it was not affected in ERlow patients. Conclusion Patients with ERlow breast cancer have clinicopathological characteristics that differ from those with ERhigh tumors. Although this study was limited by the small sample size of the ERlow group, no benefit from hormone therapy was observed in the ERlow group compared with the ERhigh group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chong Kim
- Department of Pathology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
| | - Min Hui Park
- Department of Pathology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jung Eun Choi
- Department of Surgery, Breast Cancer Center, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
| | - Su Hwan Kang
- Department of Surgery, Breast Cancer Center, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
| | - Young Kyung Bae
- Department of Pathology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
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