The role of BRCA1-IRIS in the development and progression of triple negative breast cancers in Egypt: possible link to disease early lesion

• Published in: BMC cancer 2017-05, Vol.17 (1), p.329-329, Article 329
• Main Authors: Bogan, Danielle, Meile, Lucio, El Bastawisy, Ahmed, Yousef, Hend F, Zekri, Abdel-Rahman N, Bahnassy, Abeer A, ElShamy, Wael M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Aged; Axilla; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor - biosynthesis; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; BRCA1 protein; BRCA1 Protein - biosynthesis; BRCA1 Protein - genetics; BRCA1-IRIS; Breast cancer; Cancer therapies; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - genetics; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - pathology; Chemotherapy; Disease; Disease-Free Survival; Egypt; Female; Gene expression; Humans; Insulin-like growth factors; Invasiveness; Lymph; Lymph nodes; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphatic Metastasis - genetics; Medical prognosis; Metastases; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Ovarian cancer; Polymerase chain reaction; Receptor, ErbB-2 - metabolism; Receptors, Estrogen - metabolism; Receptors, Progesterone - metabolism; Risk factors; Statistical analysis; Surgery; Survival; Triple negative; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - therapy; Tumor-initiating cells; Tumors
• ISSN: 1471-2407; 1471-2407
• DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3283-8

Breast cancer is the most globally diagnosed female cancer, with the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) being the most aggressive subtype of the disease. In this study we aimed at comparing the effect of BRCA1-IRIS overexpression on the clinico-pathological characteristics in breast cancer patients with TNBC or non-TNBC in the largest comprehensive cancer center in Egypt. To reach this goal, we conducted an observational study at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University (Cairo, Egypt). The data on all diagnosed breast cancer patients, between 2009 and 2012, were reviewed. BRCA1-IRIS expression measured using real time RT/PCR in these patients' tumor samples was correlated to tumor characteristics, such as to clinico-pathological features, therapeutic responses, and survival outcomes. 96 patients were enrolled and of these 45% were TNBC, and 55% were of other subtypes (hereafter, non-TNBC). All patients presented with invasive ductal carcinomas. No significant difference was observed for risk factors, such as age and menopausal status between the TNBC and the non-TNBC groups except after BRCA1-IRIS expression was factored in. The majority of the tumors in both groups were ≤5 cm at surgery (p = 0.013). However, in the TNBC group, ≤5 cm tumors were BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing, whereas in the non-TNBC group they were BRCA1-IRIS-negative (p = 0.00007). Most of the TNBC patients diagnosed with grade 1 or 2 were BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing, whereas non-TNBCs were IRIS-negative (p = 0.00035). No statistical significance was measured in patients diagnosed with grade 3 tumors. Statistically significant difference between TNBCs and non-TNBCs and tumor stage with regard to BRCA1-IRIS-overexpression was observed. Presence of axillary lymph node metastases was positively associated with BRCA1-IRIS overexpression in TNBC group, and with BRCA1-IRIS-negative status in the non-TNBC group (p = 0.00009). Relapse after chemotherapy (p