Albumin-bilirubin score predicts trastuzumab resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Huang, Wen-Juan^{a; 1} | Yuan, Jia-Rui^{a; 1} | Zhang, Lei^{b; 1} | Wang, Wen^a | Miao, Shi-Di^c | Wang, Xin^a | Wang, Rui-Tao^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Internal Medicine, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China | [b] Department of Ultrasound, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China | [c] School of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Rui-Tao Wang, Department of Internal Medicine, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin Medical University, NO.150 Haping ST, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China. Tel.: +86 451 86298352; Fax: +86 451 86298353; E-mail: ruitaowang@126.com.

Note: [1] Wen-Juan Huang, Jia-Rui Yuan and Lei Zhang contributed equally to this work and share first authorship.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score is a novel indicator of liver function. Some studies showed that the ALBI score was a predictive marker for the prognosis and efficacy of drug therapy in malignancies. We aimed to assess the predicted role of ALBI score in the sensitivity to therapy with trastuzumab in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer (BC). The clinical data of 226 HER2-positive BC patients at the Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 2017 and December 2018 were retrospectively collected. The ALBI score was calculated with serum albumin and bilirubin before diagnosis. The associations between ALBI score and trastuzumab resistance were analyzed by logistic regression analyses. The patients with trastuzumab resistance had higher ALBI scores compared with the patients without trastuzumab resistance. Moreover, there were weak correlations between the ALBI score and lymph node status (P= 0.093). In addition, multivariate analysis revealed that the ALBI score was an independent prognostic factor for trastuzumab resistance in HER2-positive BC. High ALBI score is associated with trastuzumab resistance in HER2-positive BC. Future studies are needed.

Keywords: Breast cancer, HER2-positive, albumin, bilirubin, trastuzumab resistance

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-230077

Journal: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 425-432, 2023