A two-gene expression ratio predicts clinical outcome in breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen

Xiao Jun Ma, Zuncai Wang, Paula D. Ryan, Steven J. Isakoff, Anne Barmettler, Andrew Fuller, Beth Muir, Gayatry Mohapatra, Ranelle Salunga, J. Todd Tuggle, Yen Tran, Diem Tran, Ana Tassin, Paul Amon, Wilson Wang, Wei Wang, Edward Enright, Kimberly Stecker, Eden Estepa-Sabal, Barbara SmithJerry Younger, Ulysses Balis, James Michaelson, Atul Bhan, Karleen Habin, Thomas M. Baer, Joan Brugge, Daniel A. Haber, Mark G. Erlander, Dennis C. Sgroi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

810 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tamoxifen significantly reduces tumor recurrence in certain patients with early-stage estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, but markers predictive of treatment failure have not been identified. Here, we generated gene expression profiles of hormone receptor-positive primary breast cancers in a set of 60 patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen monotherapy. An expression signature predictive of disease-free survival was reduced to a two-gene ratio, HOXB13 versus IL17BR, which outperformed existing biomarkers. Ectopic expression of HOXB13 in MCF10A breast epithelial cells enhances motility and invasion in vitro, and its expression is increased in both preinvasive and invasive primary breast cancer. The HOXB13:IL17BR expression ratio may be useful for identifying patients appropriate for alternative therapeutic regimens in early-stage breast cancer.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)607-616
Number of pages10
JournalCancer Cell
Volume5
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2004
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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