Journal List > J Breast Cancer > v.14(Suppl 1) > 1036309

Lee, Kim, Kim, Yang, Kim, Lee, Koh, Ko, Moon, Kim, Paik, and Noh: Different Prognostic Significance of Bcl-2 Based on Cancer Molecular Subtype

Abstract

Purpose

B-cell lymphoma (bcl)-2 is an anti-apoptotic gene, and it is a poor prognostic factor in various malignant tumors. However, the prognostic significance of bcl-2 expression in breast cancer remains controversial. We investigated the prognostic significance of bcl-2 according to cancer molecular subtype.

Methods

We analyzed 411 patients with primary invasive breast cancer who underwent surgery at our institution between 1999 and 2001. The subtypes were classified as luminal (estrogen receptor [ER]+ and/or progesterone receptor [PR]+, irrespective of human epidermal factor receptor 2 [HER2]), triple-negative (ER-, PR-, and HER2-), or HER2 (ER- ,PR-, and HER2+).

Results

A total of 236 (57.4%) cases were positive for bcl-2, and bcl-2 expression was significantly associated with earlier stage, lower grade, expression of hormone receptor positivity, and HER2 negativity. No difference in disease-free survival (DFS) was observed based on bcl-2 expression. However, the prognostic significance of bcl-2 varied with subtype; bcl-2 was not a prognosticator in patients with the luminal and HER2 subtypes. However, patients with bcl-2(+) tumors of the triple-negative subtype showed significantly worse DFS than those with bcl-2(-) tumors (p=0.048). In a multivariate analysis, bcl-2 expression remained a significant predictor of recurrence in patients with the triple-negative subtype (hazard ratio, 3.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-7.59; p=0.006).

Conclusion

The prognostic significance of bcl-2 varied with molecular subtype; bcl-2 expression was a poor prognosticator in patients with the triple-negative subtype, but not in those with the luminal and HER2 subtypes.

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
Disease-free survival according to bcl-2 expression (A) and disease free survival according to hormonal receptor expression (B).
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Figure 2
Disease-free survival according to bcl-2 expression in hormonal receptor positive breast cancer (A), in HER2 positive breast cancer (B), in triple negative breast cancer (C).
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Table 1
Clinicopathologic characteristic and treatment details of patients
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ER=estrogen receptor; PR=progesterone receptor.

Table 2
Clinicopathologic characteristic according to bcl-2 expression
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ER=estrogen receptor; PR=progesterone receptor.

*Value represents mean±SD.

Table 3
Clinicopathologic characteristic of triple negative breast cancer patients according to bcl-2 expression
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*Value represents mean±SD.

Table 4
Univariated analysis of factors associated with disease-free survival in triple negative breast cancer
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Data are presented as mean±SE.

Table 5
Multivariated analysis of factors associated with disease-free survival in triple negative breast cancer
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Adjusted for bcl-2, lymph node metastasis, and histologic grade.

HR=hazard ratio; CI=confidence interval.

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