This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vakkala, M. Articles by Soini, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vakkala, M. Articles by Soini, Y.

Apoptosis during Breast Carcinoma Progression¹

Department of Pathology, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital [M. V., K. L., P. P., Y. S.], and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Oulu [H. R.], 90220 Oulu, Finland

The purpose of this study was to investigate apoptosis, proliferation, and the expression of apoptosis-influencing proteins bcl-2 and bax and estrogen and progesterone receptors during breast carcinoma progression. The material consisted of 53 paired breast carcinoma samples representing primary and recurrent tumors and 24 control samples. The recurrent sample was located either in the breast scar tissue or at a distant metastatic site. Apoptosis was detected both morphologically and by 3' end labeling of fragmented DNA. Cell proliferation was evaluated immunohistochemically by the MIB index. The expressions of bcl-2, bax, and estrogen and progesterone receptors were studied immunohistochemically. There was a significant increase in the extent of apoptosis and proliferation in recurrent tumors compared to the primary lesions (P = 0.015 and P = 0.038, respectively). In primary tumors with an apoptotic index of >0.50%, the survival of the patients was significantly shorter (P = 0.015). In cases with a significant increase in apoptosis or proliferation in the recurrent tumor, the survival of the patients was significantly shorter (P = 0.009 and P = 0.003, respectively). Of the variables analyzed, bcl-2 expression and a positive estrogen receptor status were significantly associated with a low extent of apoptosis (P = 0.010 and P = 0.042, respectively). Their changes were parallel to the changes in apoptosis during tumor progression, although the associations did not reach statistical significance. The results show that increased apoptosis is associated with a worse prognosis in breast carcinoma. A significant increase in apoptosis in recurrent breast carcinoma lesions predicts a worse clinical outcome.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Niu, S. Altuwaijri, K.-P. Lai, C.-T. Wu, W. A. Ricke, E. M. Messing, J. Yao, S. Yeh, and C. Chang Androgen receptor is a tumor suppressor and proliferator in prostate cancer PNAS, August 26, 2008; 105(34): 12182 - 12187. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M. Casey, T. M. Mulvey, T. A. Patnode, A. Dean, E. Zakrzewska, and K. Plaut Mammary Epithelial Cells Treated Concurrently with TGF-{alpha} and TGF-{beta} Exhibit Enhanced Proliferation and Death Experimental Biology and Medicine, September 1, 2007; 232(8): 1027 - 1040. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. K. Cheng, L. W.C. Chow, W. T.Y. Loo, T. K. Chan, and V. Chan The Cell Cycle Checkpoint Gene Rad9 Is a Novel Oncogene Activated by 11q13 Amplification and DNA Methylation in Breast Cancer Cancer Res., October 1, 2005; 65(19): 8646 - 8654. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Simstein, M. Burow, A. Parker, C. Weldon, and B. Beckman Apoptosis, Chemoresistance, and Breast Cancer: Insights From the MCF-7 Cell Model System Experimental Biology and Medicine, October 1, 2003; 228(9): 995 - 1003. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Parton, S. Krajewski, I. Smith, M. Krajewska, C. Archer, M. Naito, R. Ahern, J. Reed, and M. Dowsett Coordinate Expression of Apoptosis-associated Proteins in Human Breast Cancer before and during Chemotherapy Clin. Cancer Res., July 1, 2002; 8(7): 2100 - 2108. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Liu, S. M. Edgerton, D. H. Moore II, and A. D. Thor Measures of Cell Turnover (Proliferation and Apoptosis) and Their Association with Survival in Breast Cancer Clin. Cancer Res., June 1, 2001; 7(6): 1716 - 1723. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Vakkala, K. Kahlos, E. Lakari, P. Pääkkö, V. Kinnula, and Y. Soini Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression, Apoptosis, and Angiogenesis in in Situ and Invasive Breast Carcinomas Clin. Cancer Res., June 1, 2000; 6(6): 2408 - 2416. [Abstract] [Full Text]