Nuclear basic fibroblast growth factor regulates triple-negative breast cancer chemo-resistance

Breast Cancer Research

Table 1 Nuclear bFGF expression in triple-negative breast tumors before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment

TNBC patients	Chemotherapy	Nuclear bFGF(+) cells pre-chemotherapy (%)	Nuclear bFGF(+) cells post-chemotherapy (%)	Trend (post-chemotherapy versus pre-chemotherapy)
1	ACT	50	90	Increase
2	TC	1	50	Increase
3	AC	0	100	Increase
4	TAC	100	100	=
5	AC	100	100	=
6	AC + 1 × paclitaxel	30	20	Decrease
7	ACT	70	20	Decrease
8	ACT	90	25	Decrease
9	AC + 1 × paclitaxel	100	15	Decrease

Nine patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) exhibiting an incomplete pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy were identified from medical records under Duke Institutional Review Board approval (protocol 47289). Chemotherapy regimen is indicated (A Adriamycin, C cyclophosphamide, T Docetaxel). Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues was assessed by immunohistochemistry using bFGF antibody. Nuclear bFGF scoring was performed in a blinded fashion by two pathologists. Consensus scores for percent nuclear bFGF(+) cells are shown. Three of nine patients had increased percent nuclear bFGF(+) cells post-chemotherapy (Increase), two of nine patients had sustained % nuclear bFGF(+) cells post-chemotherapy (=), and four of nine patients had reduced % nuclear bFGF(+) cells post-chemotherapy (Decrease). For the two patients in which % nuclear bFGF(+) cells remained the same post-treatment, 100 % of tumor cells pre-treatment were nuclear bFGF(+). In summary, five of nine cases showed increased or sustained percent nuclear bFGF(+) cells post chemotherapy

ISSN: 1465-542X