Association of chemokine (CXC motif) receptor 4 expression with lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis of invasive breast cancer

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Mamonto, Lidya^a | Nelwan, Berti J.^a; | Sungowati, Ni Ketut^a | Miskad, Upik A.^a | Cangara, Muh. Husni^a | Zainuddin, Andi Alfian^b

Affiliations: [a] Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia | [b] Department of Public Health and Community Medicine Science, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Berti J. Nelwan, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan KM 11, Makassar 90245, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Tel.: +62 411586010; E-mail: nelwanb@gmail.com. ORCIDs: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1980-395X (U.A. Miskad); https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5160-8265 (M.H. Cangara); https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4436-3906 (A.A. Zainuddin)

Abstract: BACKGROUND:The histological tumor grade influences the prognosis of breast cancer. In metastatic breast cancer, stromal cells produce chemokine (CXC motif) ligand 12 or stromal cell-derived factor-1 as a chemoattractant, which binds to chemokine (CXC motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) expressed by breast cancer cells. OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to determine the expression of CXCR4 in invasive breast cancer in relation to lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and lymph node metastasis. METHODS:This observational study retrospectively investigated a paraffin block archived sample diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. The results of immunohistochemical staining with CXCR4 antibody and expression analysis were evaluated using light microscopy. The data were statistically analyzed using the chi-square test and presented in a table using SPSS version 18. P-values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS:The expression of CXCR4 was significantly associated with the incidence of LVI and lymph node metastasis in invasive breast cancer (both p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:The results show that the expression of CXCR4 varies and support its decisive role in the incidence of LVI and lymph node metastasis in invasive breast cancer.

Keywords: CXCR4, invasive breast cancer, metastasis, lymphovascular invasion

DOI: 10.3233/BD-229003

Journal: Breast Disease, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 447-453, 2022