AIMS: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been identified as a reliable marker of breast cancer stem cells. The aim was to determine the prognostic significance of ALDH1 expression in a long-term follow-up study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analyses were performed on 257 invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs), 109 matched lymph node metastases and 190 ductal carcinomas in situ (DCISs), using paraffin-embedded sections. ALDH1 expression was found in 26% of IDCs, and correlated with larger tumour size (P=0.007), high histological grade (P<0.001), HER2 overexpression (P<0.001) and negative hormone receptor status (P<0.001). ALDH1 expression was observed in 14% of DCISs but was not correlated with any clinicopathological parameter. The IDC patients were followed up for 7-190 months (median: 120 months), and groups with ALDH1 expression had shorter relapse-free survival (P=0.0013) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.0005) by log-rank test. By Cox's multivariate analysis, it had a weak effect on OS (P=0.047), and its most significant effect on OS was observed in node-positive groups (P=0.013). No significant differences in OS stratified by ALDH1 expression status in lymph node metastases were noted. CONCLUSIONS: ALDH1 expression in primary cancer is an independent prognostic factor in node-positive breast cancer patients.
AIMS: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been identified as a reliable marker of breast cancer stem cells. The aim was to determine the prognostic significance of ALDH1 expression in a long-term follow-up study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analyses were performed on 257 invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs), 109 matched lymph node metastases and 190 ductal carcinomas in situ (DCISs), using paraffin-embedded sections. ALDH1 expression was found in 26% of IDCs, and correlated with larger tumour size (P=0.007), high histological grade (P<0.001), HER2 overexpression (P<0.001) and negative hormone receptor status (P<0.001). ALDH1 expression was observed in 14% of DCISs but was not correlated with any clinicopathological parameter. The IDC patients were followed up for 7-190 months (median: 120 months), and groups with ALDH1 expression had shorter relapse-free survival (P=0.0013) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.0005) by log-rank test. By Cox's multivariate analysis, it had a weak effect on OS (P=0.047), and its most significant effect on OS was observed in node-positive groups (P=0.013). No significant differences in OS stratified by ALDH1 expression status in lymph node metastases were noted. CONCLUSIONS:ALDH1 expression in primary cancer is an independent prognostic factor in node-positive breast cancerpatients.
Authors: Theresa Schwartz; Azadeh Stark; Judy Pang; Baffour Awuah; Celina G Kleer; Solomon Quayson; Stephanie Kingman; Francis Aitpillah; Francis Abantanga; Evelyn Jiagge; Joseph K Oppong; Ernest Osei-Bonsu; Iman Martin; Xiaowei Yan; Kathy Toy; Ernest Adjei; Max Wicha; Lisa A Newman Journal: Cancer Date: 2012-08-28 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Eun Joo Kang; Hoiseon Jung; Ok Hee Woo; Kyong Hwa Park; Sang Uk Woo; Dae Sik Yang; Ae-Ree Kim; Jae-Bok Lee; Yeul Hong Kim; Jun Suk Kim; Jae Hong Seo Journal: Tumour Biol Date: 2013-08-06