Elsevier

Annals of Oncology

Volume 17, Issue 6, June 2006, Pages 945-951
Annals of Oncology

Original article
breast cancer
Expression of chemokine receptors predicts the site of metastatic relapse in patients with axillary node positive primary breast cancer

https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdl053Get rights and content
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Abstract

Background

Recent studies have suggested that chemokine receptors are involved in development of organ-specific pattern of metastases. In the present study, we evaluated the association between the chemokine receptors expressed in primary tumor cells and the site of metastatic relapse in patients with breast cancer.

Methods

Primary tumors were obtained from 142 patients with axillary node–positive breast cancer and stained for CX3CR1, CXCR4, CCR6, and CCR7 expression. All statistical analyses were adjusted for systemic post-operative treatment.

Results

After a median follow-up of 13 years, none of the chemokine receptors was associated with overall survival or disease free survival. However, expression of chemokine receptors was found to be associated with increased risk of relapse in certain organs. By estimating the Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios (OR), CXCR4 was associated with increased risk of metastasis to the liver (OR = 3.71, P = 0.005), CX3CR1 was associated with metastasis to the brain (OR = 13.18, P = 0.01). Patients with CCR6 positivity were more likely to develop a first metastasis in the pleura (OR = 2.82, P = 0.06). In addition, CCR7 expression was associated with the occurrence of skin metastases (11% versus 0%, P = 0.017).

Interpretation

Expression of chemokine receptors in the primary tumor predicts the site of metastatic relapse in patients with axillary node positive breast cancer. This study, in concordance with the data obtained in animal models, suggests that the chemokine receptors family could be the biological support of the ‘seed and soil’ theory.

Keywords

breast cancer
chemokine receptors
metastases

Cited by (0)

FA, NC, HA and JCS, MC equally contributed to this work.