The prognostic significance of prame (Expressed preferentially of melanoma antigen) expression in breast cancer

Purpose: This prospective study was carried out together with the general surgery, oncology and pathology clinics of Faculty of Medicine at Çukurova University between September, 2009 and May, 2010. 54 patients with breast carcinoma and 37 patients with benign breast lesion were included in the study.Matherial and Methods: Preferentially Expressed Antigen Of Melanoma (PRAME) expression in the fresh malignant tissues taken from the patients with breast carcinoma was studied with the method of Reverse Transkriptaz Polimeraz Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). PRAME expression in the paraffine blocks of the same malignant tissues was determined through immunohistochemical (IHC) method. While the PRAME painting patterns of the 37 cases with benign breast lesioning were checked by IHC, PRAME expression of 20 samples taken from those 37 cases and 10 normal breast tissues were examined through RT-PCR method. The PRAME expression which was examined through IHC and RT-PCR methods was compared with some well-known prognostic parameters such as the age, menopozal condition, histological type, the stage, the diameter of the tumor, the grade of the tumor, the lymphovascular invasion condition, estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR) conditions, the cerb-B2 receptor condition and axilar lymph node involvement.Results: Through RT-PCR method, PRAME expression was determined as 50% in breast carcinoma and 25% in benign breast lesions. On the other hand, PRAME expression was not determined in normal breast tissues. Through IHC method, PRAME expression was determined as 29.6% (+) stained, 31.5% (++) stained, 3.7% (+++) stained in invasive breast carcinoma, however, no PRAME expression was determined in 35% of the cases. And in-situ component, 20.4 % (+) stained and 25.9% (++) stained were determined but no PRAME was determined in 54% of the cases. 8% (+) stained, 51.3% (++) stained and 27.7% stained (+++) were determined in benign breast lesions and no expression was determined in 13% of the cases. A relationship was found between the PT-PCR and IHC results for PRAME expression.Conclusion: Consequently, PRAME gene expression and some fatal prognostic parameters such as high grade and the lack of ER were found relevant to each other in breast carcinoma. As these cases are not observed for long-term periods, we do not have any data about the life parameters such as attested and total survivals. The data obtained in this study, in a limited way, suggests that PRAME expression is a determiner of fatal risks as it is found relevant to fatal risk parameters. Since RT-PCR method in fresh tissues and IHC method in tissues with paraffin can be made use of in the determination of PRAME expression, we believe that the determination of PRAME expression from the cases which are observed for long-time periods can reveal its predictive role if a relationship between other prognostic parameters and some treatments.Key Words: breast cancer, PRAME, prognostic factors