Journal
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
Volume 99, Issue 11, Pages 1769-1774Publisher
SPRINGERNATURE
DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604768
Keywords
ER-positive breast cancer; c-Src activation; nuclear; tamoxifen
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Elevated c-Src protein expression has been shown in breast cancer and in vitro evidence suggests a role in endocrine resistance. To investigate whether c-Src is involved in endocrine resistance, we examined the expression of both total and activated c-Src in human breast cancer specimens from a cohort of oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients. Tissue microarray technology was employed to analyse 262 tumour specimens taken before tamoxifen treatment. Immunohistochemistry using total c-Src and activated c-Src antibodies was performed. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed and log-rank test were performed. High level of nuclear activated Src was significantly associated with improved overall survival (P = 0.047) and lower recurrence rates on tamoxifen (P = 0.02). Improved patient outcome was only seen with activated Src in the nucleus. Nuclear activated Src expression was significantly associated with node-negative disease and a lower NPI (P < 0.05). On subgroup analysis, only ER-positive/progesterone receptor (PgR)-positive tumours were associated with improved survival (P = 0.004). This shows that c-Src activity is increased in breast cancer and that activated Src within the nucleus of ER-positive tumours predicts an improved outcome. In ER/PgR-positive disease, activated Src kinase does not appear to be involved in de novo endocrine resistance. Further study is required in ER-negative breast cancer as this may represent a cohort in which it is associated with poor outcome.
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