Figure 4
Predicted tamoxifen response in patient subgroups defined by protein expression of the 11q gene products. Hazard ratios (black boxes, with 95% confidence intervals) were calculated for each subgroup in univariate analysis using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. The number of patients in each subgroup receiving no adjuvant treatment versus tamoxifen, and P values are indicated. In patients with ER-α-positive tumors tamoxifen had an antagonistic effect, whereas patients with ER-α-negative tumors did not respond to tamoxifen. The expression of cortactin and FADD did not influence the tamoxifen response significantly, whereas patients with tumors showing deviant Chk1 expression did not respond to tamoxifen, relative to patients with tumors exhibiting normal expression. Tamoxifen response was impaired in patients with tumors exhibiting over-expression of Pak1 (defined as positive nuclei) or cyclin D1, and the effect was potentially agonistic in patients with CCND1 amplified tumors. Chk1, checkpoint kinase 1; ER, estrogen receptor; FADD, Fas-associated death domain; Pak1, p21-activated kinase 1.