Potential Refinement of Recurrence Score by pSTAT3 Status

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Albert Grinshpun, Hadassah-Hebrew University; Yogev Cohen, Hadassah-Hebrew University; Aviad Zick, Hadassah-Hebrew University; Luna Kadouri, Hadassah-Hebrew University; Tamar Hamburger, Hadassah-Hebrew University; Benjamin Nisman, Hadassah-Hebrew University; Tanir M Allweis, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Gabriela Oprea, Emory University; Tamar Peretz, Hadassah-Hebrew University; Beatrice Uziely, Hadassah-Hebrew University; Amir Sonnenblick, Tel Aviv University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-03-01
• Publisher: MDPI
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 by the authors.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/genes13030438
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: GENES
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 3
• Grant/Funding Information: This study was funded by a Clinical Research Career Development Award from the Israel Cancer Research Fund grants (16-116-CRCDA), the Israeli Cancer Research Association, and the Raymond F. Schinazi International program.
• Keywords: ACTIVATORS; GROWTH; pSTAT3; CANCER; APOPTOSIS; oncotype; Genetics & Heredity; MICE; SIGNAL TRANSDUCERS; recurrence score; Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; PATHWAY; early breast cancer; TYROSINE PHOSPHORYLATION; EXPRESSION; prognosis
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Pathology; Health Sciences, Oncology; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery

Abstract

The likelihood of recurrence in breast cancer patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive) tumors is influenced by clinical, histopathological, and molecular features. Recent studies suggested that activated STAT3 (pSTAT3) might serve as a biomarker of outcome in breast cancer patients. In the present work, we have analyzed the added value of pSTAT3 to OncotypeDx Recurrence Score (RS) in patient prognostication. We have found that patients with low RS (<26) and low pSTAT3 might represent a population at a higher risk for cancer recurrence. Furthermore, we have observed that a positive pSTAT3 score alone can be a favorable marker for patients with HR-positive breast cancer under the age of 50. In an era of personalized medicine, these findings warrant further appraisal of chemotherapy benefit in this population.