Gene expression profiles of breast cancer subtypes are detectable in histologically normal breast epithelium

ABSTRACT: Background: We hypothesize that important genomic differences between breast cancer subtypes occur early in carcinogenesis. Therefore, gene expression might distinguish histologically normal breast epithelium (NlEpi) from breasts containing estrogen receptor positive (ER+) compared with estrogen receptor negative (ER-) cancers. Methods: We examined gene expression in 46 cases of microdissected NlEpi from previously untreated women undergoing breast cancer surgery. From 30 age-matched cases (15 ER+, 15 ER-) we used Affymetryix U133A arrays. From 16 independent cases (9ER+, 7 ER-), we validated seven selected genes using qPCR. We then compared gene expression between NlEpi and invasive breast cancer using 4 publicly available datasets. Results: 216 probes (corresponding to 198 unique genes)

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Graham K 

PROVIDER: S-ECPF-GEOD-21947 | biostudies-other | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other