Open AccessPrognostic significance of tumor/stromal caveolin‐1 expression in breast cancer patients
Author(s) -
Qian Niansong,
Ueno Takayuki,
KawaguchiSakita Nobuko,
Kawashima Masahiro,
Yoshida Noriyuki,
Mikami Yoshiki,
Wakasa Tomoko,
Shintaku Masayuki,
Tsuyuki Shigeru,
Inamoto Takashi,
Toi Masakazu
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
cancer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 1347-9032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.01985.x
Subject(s) - stromal cell , immunohistochemistry , breast cancer , medicine , caveolin 1 , oncology , univariate analysis , cancer , cancer research , stromal tumor , pathology , multivariate analysis
Caveolin‐1 (Cav‐1) has been extensively characterized in cancer biological research. However, the role of Cav‐1 in the interaction between tumor and stromal cells remains unclear. In the present study, we examined Cav‐1 expression in tumor cells and stromal cells in breast cancer tissue by immunohistochemical analysis and evaluated its prognostic value in a training cohort. Immunohistochemical analysis of Cav‐1 expression was scored as (++), (+) or (−) according to the proportion of positively stained tumor cells (T) and stromal cells (S). Correlation analysis between tumor/stromal Cav‐1 expression and clinicopathological parameters revealed that only T(++) Cav‐1 status was positively associated with tumor size and histological nodal status ( P = 0.019 and 0.021, respectively). Univariate analysis revealed that combined T(++)/S(−) status was significantly correlated with unfavorable prognostic outcomes ( P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that this combined status is an independent prognostic factor for primary breast cancer ( P = 0.002). Clinical outcomes in different subgroups of breast cancer patients were also strictly dependent on this combined status ( P < 0.05). The prognostic value of T(++)/S(−) Cav‐1 status was also validated in the testing cohort. Collectively, our data indicate that high Cav‐1 expression in tumor cells and lack of this expression in stromal cells could help identify a particular subgroup of breast cancer patients with potentially poor survival. Further studies are required to understand the regulatory mechanism of Cav‐1 in the tumor microenvironment. ( Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 1590–1596)