PURPOSE: Estrogen receptor (ER) alpha-positive breast cancer is often treated with endocrine therapy using either antiestrogens or aromatase inhibitors. However, 30% of patients who receive endocrine therapy will derive no benefit from such treatments and may indeed suffer adverse effects. Currently, there are no ways to predict response to such treatments. ER beta cx, a variant of ER beta, has a dominant-negative effect over ER alpha, and its expression thought to modulate response to endocrine treatment may represent a predictor of response to endocrine therapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We investigated the expression of the ER beta cx in 82 frozen breast samples (8 benign, 1 ductal carcinoma in situ, and 73 malignant) by Western blot analysis. The relationship between the expression of ER beta cx variants with prognosis and outcome of endocrine therapy was examined. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant association between the presence of ER beta cx and the response to endocrine therapy (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.04). We also examined the influence of the ER beta cx status of a tumor on time to progression and death. There was a relationship between the presence of ER beta cx and survival, with patients whose tumors express ER beta cx having a longer survival rate (P = 0.05). Cell-type specificity of expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry on a selection of histological samples. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this small group of patients, we conclude that the expression of ER beta cx correlated with favorable response to endocrine therapy. A larger study involving the staining of archival material is currently underway to confirm these preliminary results.
PURPOSE:Estrogen receptor (ER) alpha-positive breast cancer is often treated with endocrine therapy using either antiestrogens or aromatase inhibitors. However, 30% of patients who receive endocrine therapy will derive no benefit from such treatments and may indeed suffer adverse effects. Currently, there are no ways to predict response to such treatments. ER beta cx, a variant of ER beta, has a dominant-negative effect over ER alpha, and its expression thought to modulate response to endocrine treatment may represent a predictor of response to endocrine therapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We investigated the expression of the ER beta cx in 82 frozen breast samples (8 benign, 1 ductal carcinoma in situ, and 73 malignant) by Western blot analysis. The relationship between the expression of ER beta cx variants with prognosis and outcome of endocrine therapy was examined. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant association between the presence of ER beta cx and the response to endocrine therapy (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.04). We also examined the influence of the ER beta cx status of a tumor on time to progression and death. There was a relationship between the presence of ER beta cx and survival, with patients whose tumors express ER beta cx having a longer survival rate (P = 0.05). Cell-type specificity of expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry on a selection of histological samples. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this small group of patients, we conclude that the expression of ER beta cx correlated with favorable response to endocrine therapy. A larger study involving the staining of archival material is currently underway to confirm these preliminary results.
Authors: Nuiki Iota Chantzi; Marina Palaiologou; Artemis Stylianidou; Nikos Goutas; Stamatis Vassilaros; Helen P Kourea; Eugen Dhimolea; Dimitra J Mitsiou; Dina G Tiniakos; Muichael N Alexis Journal: J Cancer Res Clin Oncol Date: 2014-03-27 Impact factor: 4.553
Authors: Stephanie L Nott; Yanfang Huang; Brian R Fluharty; Anna M Sokolov; Melinda Huang; Cathleen Cox; Mesut Muyan Journal: Curr Pharmacogenomics Person Med Date: 2008-12-01
Authors: Frances Collins; Sheila MacPherson; Pamela Brown; Vincent Bombail; Alistair R W Williams; Richard A Anderson; Henry N Jabbour; Philippa T K Saunders Journal: BMC Cancer Date: 2009-09-16 Impact factor: 4.430