High expression of steroid sulfatase mRNA predicts poor prognosis in patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Prognostic significance of the intratumoral mRNA expression of three enzymes related to in situ estrogen biosynthesis, i.e., aromatase, sulfatase, and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (17beta-HSD1), was evaluated in patients with invasive breast cancer.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

Aromatase, sulfatase, and 17beta-HSD1 mRNA levels in tumor tissues (n = 181) and normal breast tissues (n = 34) were examined by a quantitative, real-time PCR assay and compared with various clinicopathological factors as well as prognosis.

RESULTS:

The sulfatase mRNA levels, but not the aromataseor 17beta-HSD1 mRNA levels, were significantly associated with lymph node metastases (P < 0.005), histological grade III (P < 0.001), and poor prognosis (P < 0.005). The association between the sulfatase mRNA and poor prognosis was found to be significant (P < 0.001) only in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors but not in ER negative tumors. In ER-positive tumors, the sulfatase mRNA levels was a significant prognostic factor independent of the lymph node status and histological grade by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS:

The sulfatase mRNA levels can serve as a significant, independent prognostic factor only in ER-positive tumors. It is speculated that the up-regulation of sulfatase mRNA levels leads to a high intratumoral estrogen concentration and, thus, an enhanced stimulation of tumor growth through ERs.

• Authors: Yasuo Miyoshi, Akiko Ando, Seiichi Hasegawa, Makoto Ishitobi, Tetsuya Taguchi, Yasuhiro Tamaki, Shinzaburo Noguchi
• Journal: Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (Clin Cancer Res) Vol. 9 Issue 6 Pg. 2288-93 (Jun 2003) ISSN: 1078-0432 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12796397 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• RNA, Messenger
• Receptors, Estrogen
• 17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases
• Aromatase
• Steryl-Sulfatase

Topics

• 17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases (genetics)
• Aromatase (genetics)
• Breast Neoplasms (enzymology, mortality, pathology)
• Disease-Free Survival
• Female
• Humans
• Multivariate Analysis
• Prognosis
• RNA, Messenger (analysis)
• Receptors, Estrogen (analysis)
• Steryl-Sulfatase (genetics)