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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: We evaluated the expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) between primary breast lesions and pulmonary metastatic (PM) lesions in breast cancer patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological features and the expression statuses of ER, PR, HER2, Ki-67 and ALDH-1 in both primary and metastatic breast cancer lesions and evaluated the discordance rates in the expressions of these markers between the primary and metastatic lesions, and also the prognostic value of these factors. RESULTS: None of the PM patients had metastases at any other sites, and all had undergone curative breast cancer surgery. The pulmonary operation was partial resection in 15 (88 %) patients and lobectomy in 2 (12 %) patients. The median overall survival (OS) after resection of the PNs (OS) was 48 months. The discordance rates in the expressions of ER, PR, HER2, Ki67 and ALDH-1 between the primary and metastatic lesions were 0, 29, 21, 43 and 50 %, respectively. CONCLUSION: There was significant discordance in the biomarkers between the primary tumors and the metastatic lesions.
Breast Cancer 01/2013; · 1.36 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Recently, evidence in support of the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis has been accumulating. On the other hand, it has been reported that the expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) in primary breast cancer is a powerful predictor of a poor clinical outcome, and that breast cancer stem cells express ALDH1. According to the CSC hypothesis, development of metastases requires the dissemination of CSC that may remain dormant and be reactivated to cause tumor recurrence. In this study, we investigated whether the detection of CSC in axillary lymph node metastases (ALNM) might be a significant prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: From 1998 to 2006, 40 primary breast cancer patients with ALNM, the number of metastatic nodes varying in number from 1 to 3, underwent surgery at Okayama University; of these, 15 patients developed tumor recurrence. We retrospectively evaluated the common clinicopathological features and the expression of ER, HER2, ALDH1, and Ki67 in both the primary lesions and the ALNM, and analyzed the correlations between the expression of these biological markers and the disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: Expression of ALDH1 in the ALNM was significantly associated with the DFS (P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: Evaluation of biomarker expression in ALNM could be useful for prognosis in breast cancer patients with 1-3 metastatic lymph nodes.
Breast Cancer 03/2012; · 1.36 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Combined low-dose therapy of oral capecitabine (Xeloda) and cyclophosphamide (XC) has been demonstrated to be useful for long-term control of lesions in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and is aimed at symptomatic alleviation and prolongation of survival. Here, a retrospective review was conducted of MBC patients administered XC at the Okayama University Hospital (OUH), to evaluate responses to XC, adverse events and time to progression (TTP). Twenty patients with MBC received XC between 2006 and 2009. With the exception of 2 elderly patients who were over the age of 70 at the initial examination, all of the patients had received prior treatment with an anthracycline and/or a taxane. No complete response (CR) cases were observed, but partial response (PR) was achieved in 6 patients (30%) and SD in 9 (45%), of whom 5 (20%) sustained SD status for >12 months. The median TTP was 6 months (range:3-27 mo.). Three patients developed Grade 3 adverse events (diarrhea, nausea and stomatitis), but no other patients developed adverse reactions causing interruption of the therapy. XC was safe even in previously treated and elderly MBC patients;moreover, it yielded remarkable clinical responses.
Acta medica Okayama 08/2011; 65(4):231-7. · 0.84 Impact Factor
