PKC? and ER? Are Associated with Triple-Negative Breast Cancers in African American and Caucasian Patients.

ABSTRACT: Although the incidence of breast cancer in the United States is higher in Caucasian women compared with African American women, African-American patients have more aggressive disease as characterized by a higher percentage of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), high-grade tumors, and a higher mortality rate. PKC? is a biomarker associated with endocrine resistance and poor prognosis and ER? is emerging as a protective biomarker. Immunohistochemical analysis of ER? and PKC? expression was performed on 198 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary infiltrating ductal carcinomas from 105 African-American and 93 Caucasian patients. PKC? is positively correlated with TNBC in patients of both races and with high tumor grade in African-American patients. Patients with TNBC express less nuclear ER? compared with all other subtypes. We find no difference in frequency or intensity of PKC? or ER? expression between African-American and Caucasian patients. PKC? and ER? are discussed as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of patients with TNBC.

SUBMITTER: Tonetti DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3299310 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature