TOPK: A new predictor of the therapeutic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a high probability of relapse and poor overall survival. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is currently a routine treatment strategy for TNBC, but some patients do not respond well. T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK) is highly expressed in breast cancer cells and contributes to cancer cell proliferation. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation of TOPK expression with NACT treatment response and prognosis in TNBC.

METHODS:

We collected 66 pairs of TNBC samples before and after NACT with docetaxel+ epirubicin+ cyclophosphamide (TEC). The Miller-Payne (MP) system was used to assess the therapeutic response to NACT in TNBC patients.

RESULTS:

Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that TNBC patients with high TOPK expression before NACT had a poor treatment response and a poor prognosis. The expression of TOPK after NACT was significantly higher than that before NACT in patients with MP grade 1-3. In contrast, patients with MP grade 4-5 had significantly lower TOPK expression after NACT than before NACT, and the expression change in Ki-67 in patients with MP grade 4-5 exhibited the same trend. Survival analysis revealed that patients with TNBC accompanied by elevated TOPK expression before NACT had a worse prognosis than those with lower TOPK expression.

CONCLUSION:

TOPK may be a novel predictor for the therapeutic response to NACT and prognosis for patients with TNBC.

• Authors: Kaijing Wang, Jia Chai, Junpeng Xu, Jie Wei, Peifeng Li, Yixiong Liu, Jing Ma, Tianqi Xu, Danhui Zhao, Kangjie Yu, Linni Fan, Qingguo Yan, Shuangping Guo, Mingyang Li, Zhe Wang
• Journal: Pathology, research and practice (Pathol Res Pract) Vol. 226 Pg. 153603 (Oct 2021) ISSN: 1618-0631 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 34500374 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
• PDZ-binding kinase

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (metabolism)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant (methods)
• Female
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases (metabolism)
• Neoadjuvant Therapy (methods)
• Prognosis
• Treatment Outcome
• Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms (drug therapy, enzymology)