HSP27 and HSP70 expression in biopsies from breast cancer patients treated with anthracyclines neoadjuvant monochemotherapy

NADIN, S.B.; MONTT GUEVARA, M.M.; DAGUERRE, P.; LEUZZI, M.; GAGO, F.E.; IBARRA, J.; LAZZARO, M. A.; CIOCCA D.R.; VARGAS ROIG L.M.

Congreso; Heat Shock Proteins in Cancer and Immunology - Cell Stress Society International; 2010

Heat Shock Proteins (Hsps) may be expressed in human tumors been useful as prognostic markers sometimes. There are in vitro evidences showing that Hsps are involved in doxorubicin (DOX) resistance. Our objective was to determine whether HSP27 and HSP70 expression is predictive/prognostic marker in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant monochemotherapy with DOX or epirubicin (EPI). For this study, 60 patients with locally advanced breast tumors were enrolled, who received 75 mg/m2 of DOX or 120 mg/m2 of EPI during 4 cycles before surgery, and 6 cycles with cyclophosphamide, metothrexate and 5-fluorouracil after surgery. Clinical response was considered: complete (as a total disappearence of all clinical signs), partial (>50% of tumor shrinkage), stable (¡Ü50% of tumor shrinkage), and tumor progression (increase of at least 25% of tumor size). The pathological response was considered complete (absence of invasive carcinoma), microscopic residual disease (<1 mm of invasive carcinoma) and macroscopic residual disease (¡Ý1 mm of invasive carcinoma). The median time of follow-up was 60 months (14-142 months). The expression of HSP27 and HSP70 was evaluated using immunohystochemistry before and after DOX or EPI administration (pre-chemotherapy biopsy and surgery specimen). We observed that the nuclear expression of HSP27 and HSP70 in invasive cells increased after DOX or EPI administration (p<0.05). No correlation was found between nuclear and/or cytoplasmic Hsps expression with clinical and pathological response. In addition, Hsps expression did not correlate with disease free and overall survival of the patients. In conclusion, HSP27 and HSP70 expression is not a useful predictive/prognosis marker in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant monochemotherapy