乳腺癌中DLL4的表达与临床病理参数及腋窝淋巴结转移的关系

目的探讨乳腺癌中血管生长因子(DLL4)的表达及其与临床病理参数和腋窝淋巴结转移的关系。方法免疫组化法检测132例乳腺癌组织及40例癌旁组织中DLL4的表达情况,分析DLL4的表达与乳腺癌患者临床病理参数和腋窝淋巴结转移的相关性。结果乳腺癌患者中DLL4的高表达率为56.8%,显著高于癌旁组织组(13.8%)。DLL4的高表达率与乳腺癌患者腋窝淋巴结转移以及TNM分期呈正相关。DLL4高表达是乳腺癌患者出现腋窝淋巴结转移的独立预测因子(OR=3.726,95% CI:1.751~7.929,P=0.001)。结论乳腺癌组织中DLL4呈高表达的患者的恶性程度较高,更易出现腋窝淋巴结转移。

Expression of DLL4 Protein is Related to Clinicopathological Variables and Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis in Breast Cancer.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between DLL4 expression and clinicopathologic features as well as axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. Methods A total of 132 patients with breast cancer who undergone primary mastectomies plus axillary lymph node dissection from November 2012 to September 2013 were eligible for this study. The expression of DLL4 in breast canccer tissues was examined immunohistochemically. Results The high expression of DLL4 was observed in 56.8% (75/132) in patients with breast cancer. DLL4 high expression correlated with the TNM stage (P=0.005) and axillary lymph node metastasis (P<0.001) of breast cancer. Movreover, the presence of lymph node metastasis was significantly associated with DLL4 expression(OR=3.726,95% CI:1.751~7.929,P=0.001). Conclusion DLL4 overexpression correlated with the advanced extent and axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. DLL4 may serve as a new molecular marker to predict the axillary lymph node metastasis of breast cancer in the clinic.