Figure 3
From: RANK-ligand (RANKL) expression in young breast cancer patients and during pregnancy
Expression of RANK and RANKL according to breast cancer subtype and correlation with Ki67. (a) Expression of RANKL by immunohistochemistry using the H-score (y axis) according to breast cancer subtypes in all patients, nonpregnant patients and pregnant patients. RANKL expression was higher in luminal A tumors (ER+, HER2–, Ki67 < 20%) compared with all other subtypes, particularly in pregnant patients (P <0.0001), than in nonpregnant patients (P = 0.32). (b) Negative correlation between Ki67 score by immunohistochemistry (y axis) and RANKL H-score (x axis) (P <0.0001, Pearson correlation = –0.29). (c) Expression of RANK by immunohistochemistry using the H-score (y axis) according to breast cancer subtypes in all patients, nonpregnant patients and pregnant patients. RANK expression was higher in triple-negative tumors compared with all other subtypes in all patients (P <0.0001), nonpregnant patients (P < 0.0001) and pregnant patients (P = 0.05). (d) Positive correlation between Ki67 score by immunohistochemistry (y axis) and RANK H-score (x axis) (P <0.0001, Pearson correlation = 0.37). ER, estrogen receptor; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; RANK, receptor activator for nuclear factor κB; RANKL, receptor activator for nuclear factor κB ligand.