KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The study aimed to develop a genetic prediction model for DMFS in BC patients with small tumor sizes.
- The results concluded that a gene signature predicts DMFS in small breast tumors.
Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women globally. While small tumor size is generally associated with a better prognosis, some patients still develop distant metastasis (DM), highlighting the need for better predictive tools.
Yu-Tien Chang and the team aimed to create a genetic prediction model for distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in BC patients with small tumor sizes (≤ 2 cm).
Researchers integrated gene expression data of BCs from ten RNAseq datasets obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. They used weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) analysis and LASSO cox regression to develop the prediction model.
About 9 hub metastatic genes (ABHD11, DDX39A, G3BP2, GOLM1, IL1R1, MMP11, PIK3R1, SNRPB2, and VAV3) were identified through WGCNA and used to create a risk score. The high-risk group (≥ median risk score) showed a significantly higher risk of DM in both the training and validation cohorts. A nomogram prediction model for 3-, 5-, and 7-year DMFS demonstrated good prediction accuracy (C-indices of 0.72–0.76).
They also found that immune regulation and cell–cell signaling pathways were enriched, and EGFR was identified as a hub gene in the protein-protein interaction network involving several of the identified genes.
This study successfully identified a prognostic gene signature that can predict DMFS in BC patients with small tumor sizes. The findings suggest that the protein-protein interaction network, particularly the involvement of EGFR, warrants further investigation to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving DM in these patients.
Funding support was provided by Tri-service General Hospital (801GB112190) to Guo-Shiou Liao and Yu-Tien Chang.
Source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12282-024-01627-w
Chang YT, Hong ZJ, Tsai HH, et al. (2024). “Hub metastatic gene signature and risk score of breast cancer patients with small tumor sizes using WGCNA. Breast Cancer. 2024. doi:10.1007/s12282-024-01627-w.
