Altered expression of cyclin E and the retinoblastoma protein influences the effect of adjuvant therapy in breast cancer

  • Authors:
    • Marie Ahnström Waltersson
    • Marie Stenmark Askmalm
    • Bo Nordenskjöld
    • Tommy Fornander
    • Lambert Skoog
    • Olle Stål
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: February 1, 2009     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000168
  • Pages: 441-448
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Abstract

Cyclin E and the retinoblastoma protein (Rb) are both important regulators of the G1 phase in the cell cycle. Overexpression of cyclin E and lost expression of Rb has previously been observed in breast tumours at frequencies of 10-50% and 20-30%, respectively. We explored the prognostic role of cyclin E and Rb in breast cancer patients randomised for tamoxifen (TAM), CMF (cyclophosphamide, metotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) and how their expression affects the patients' response to treatment. Protein expression was assessed with immunohistochemistry. We found overexpression of cyclin E in 32.1% (71/221) of the tumours and loss of Rb expression in 25.0% (59/236). Increased expression of cyclin E correlated to dysfunctional p53 (P=0.003) while loss of Rb correlated to normal p53 status (P=0.001). Our results suggest that patients with high cyclin E tumours have less benefit from tamoxifen (ER+, TAM vs. no TAM; RR=0.97; 95% CI, 0.36-2.60) than patients whose tumours show low expression (ER+, TAM vs. no TAM; RR =0.41; 95% CI, 0.24-0.72). Cyclin E also tended to predict the benefit from radiotherapy with a local recurrence rate of 0.31 (RT vs. CMF; 95% CI, 0.12-0.83) for patients with low expression and 0.68 (RT vs. CMF; 95% CI, 0.2-2.32) for patients with high expression of cyclin E. When the p53 status was taken in consideration the results showed that patients with both normal p53 and normal Rb expression had considerably lower locoregional recurrence rate when treated with radiotherapy instead of CMF (RR=0.17; 95% CI, 0.052-0.58) as compared to patients with either altered Rb or p53 or both (RR=0.70; 95% CI, 0.28-1.73).

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February 2009
Volume 34 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Waltersson MA, Askmalm MS, Nordenskjöld B, Fornander T, Skoog L and Stål O: Altered expression of cyclin E and the retinoblastoma protein influences the effect of adjuvant therapy in breast cancer. Int J Oncol 34: 441-448, 2009
APA
Waltersson, M.A., Askmalm, M.S., Nordenskjöld, B., Fornander, T., Skoog, L., & Stål, O. (2009). Altered expression of cyclin E and the retinoblastoma protein influences the effect of adjuvant therapy in breast cancer. International Journal of Oncology, 34, 441-448. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000168
MLA
Waltersson, M. A., Askmalm, M. S., Nordenskjöld, B., Fornander, T., Skoog, L., Stål, O."Altered expression of cyclin E and the retinoblastoma protein influences the effect of adjuvant therapy in breast cancer". International Journal of Oncology 34.2 (2009): 441-448.
Chicago
Waltersson, M. A., Askmalm, M. S., Nordenskjöld, B., Fornander, T., Skoog, L., Stål, O."Altered expression of cyclin E and the retinoblastoma protein influences the effect of adjuvant therapy in breast cancer". International Journal of Oncology 34, no. 2 (2009): 441-448. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000168