Breast cancer expression of YKL-40 correlates with tumour grade, poor differentiation, and other cancer markers.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Serum levels of a secreted glycoprotein YKL-40 are elevated in patients with a wide range of cancers including breast, colorectal, and ovarian cancers. Furthermore, these increased levels correlate with poorer survival of cancer patients, suggesting that serum levels of YKL-40 might be a prognostic biomarker. However, the tissue expression of YKL-40 and its relationship with clinical outcomes and other potential markers are poorly understood.

METHODS:

Tissue samples from invasive breast cancers, breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and cancer-free reduction mammoplasty were enrolled. YKL-40 expression was measured using immunohistochemistry and evaluated by a semi-quantification assay. Statistical analyses explored the relationship of YKL-40 with clinical outcome and other breast cancer biomarkers.

RESULTS:

Breast ductal carcinoma in situ expressed low and moderate levels of YKL-40. In the subset of 203 patients with invasive cancer, YKL-40 levels were positively correlated with tumour grade (P<0.0001) and Her2/neu (P<0.01), but negatively correlated with oestrogen (P<0.0001) and progesterone receptor (P<0.0001). YKL-40 levels were inversely correlated with expressions of GATA3 (P=0.0137) and E-cadherin (P=0.0417).

CONCLUSION:

These data demonstrate that expression levels of YKL-40 are associated with tumour grade, poor differentiation, and other breast cancer markers, highlighting that tissue levels of YKL-40 serve as a valuable biomarker for breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

• Authors: R Shao, Q J Cao, R B Arenas, C Bigelow, B Bentley, W Yan
• Journal: British journal of cancer (Br J Cancer) Vol. 105 Issue 8 Pg. 1203-9 (Oct 11 2011) ISSN: 1532-1827 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21934681 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Adipokines
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• CHI3L1 protein, human
• Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1
• Lectins

Topics

• Adipokines (blood, immunology)
• Adult
• Antibody Specificity
• Biomarkers, Tumor (blood)
• Breast Neoplasms (blood, pathology)
• Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating (blood)
• Cell Differentiation
• Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Lectins (blood, immunology)
• Middle Aged
• Paraffin Embedding
• Retrospective Studies