Anita Muthukaruppan1, Annette Lasham2, Cherie Blenkiron2, Kathryn J Woad3, Michael A Black4, Nicholas Knowlton5, Nicole McCarthy6, Michael P Findlay7, Cristin G Print8, Andrew N Shelling9. 1. Research Fellow, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland. 2. Senior Research Fellow, Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland. 3. Lecturer, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, The University of Nottingham, Leicestershire, United Kingdom. 4. Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin. 5. PhD Student, Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland. 6. Associate Professor, ICON Cancer Care Wesley, Wesley Medical Centre, Queensland, Australia. 7. Professor, Discipline of Oncology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland. 8. Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Maurice Wilkins Centre, The University of Auckland Bioinformatics Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland. 9. Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Auckland, Auckland.
Abstract
AIMS: New Zealand has one of the highest rates of breast cancer incidence in the world. We investigated the gene expression profiles of breast tumours from New Zealand patients, compared them to gene expression profiles of international breast cancer cohorts and identified any associations between altered gene expression and the clinicopathological features of the tumours. METHODS: Affymetrix microarrays were used to measure the gene expression profiles of 106 breast tumours from New Zealand patients. Gene expression data from six international breast cancer cohorts were collated, and all the gene expression data were analysed using standard bioinformatic and statistical tools. RESULTS: Gene expression profiles associated with tumour ER and ERBB2 status, molecular subtype and selected gene expression signatures within the New Zealand cohort were consistent with those found in international cohorts. Significant differences in clinicopathological features such as tumour grade, tumour size and lymph node status were also observed between the New Zealand and international cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Gene expression profiles, which are a sensitive indicator of tumour biology, showed no clear difference between breast tumours from New Zealand patients and those from non-New Zealand patients. This suggests that other factors may contribute to the high and increasing breast cancer incidence in New Zealand compared to international populations.
AIMS: New Zealand has one of the highest rates of breast cancer incidence in the world. We investigated the gene expression profiles of breast tumours from New Zealand patients, compared them to gene expression profiles of international breast cancer cohorts and identified any associations between altered gene expression and the clinicopathological features of the tumours. METHODS: Affymetrix microarrays were used to measure the gene expression profiles of 106 breast tumours from New Zealand patients. Gene expression data from six international breast cancer cohorts were collated, and all the gene expression data were analysed using standard bioinformatic and statistical tools. RESULTS: Gene expression profiles associated with tumour ER and ERBB2 status, molecular subtype and selected gene expression signatures within the New Zealand cohort were consistent with those found in international cohorts. Significant differences in clinicopathological features such as tumour grade, tumour size and lymph node status were also observed between the New Zealand and international cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Gene expression profiles, which are a sensitive indicator of tumour biology, showed no clear difference between breast tumours from New Zealand patients and those from non-New Zealand patients. This suggests that other factors may contribute to the high and increasing breast cancer incidence in New Zealand compared to international populations.