Mena[superscript calc], a quantitative method of metastasis assessment, as a prognostic marker for axillary node-negative breast cancer

Abstract

Background Mena[superscript calc] is an immunofluorescence-based, quantitative method in which expression of the non-invasive Mena protein isoform (Mena11a) is subtracted from total Mena protein expression. Previous work has found a significant positive association between Mena[superscript calc] and risk of death from breast cancer. Our goal was to determine if Mena[superscript calc] could be used as an independent prognostic marker for axillary node-negative (ANN) breast cancer. Methods Analysis of the association of Mena[superscript calc] with overall survival (death from any cause) was performed for 403 ANN tumors using Kaplan Meier survival curves and the univariate Cox proportional hazards (PH) model with the log-rank or the likelihood ratio test. Cox PH models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for the association of Mena[superscript calc] with risk of death after adjustment for HER2 status and clinicopathological tumor features. Results High Mena[superscript calc] was associated with increased risk of death from any cause (P = 0.0199, HR (CI) = 2.18 (1.19, 4.00)). A similarly elevated risk of death was found in the subset of the Mena[superscript calc] cohort which did not receive hormone or chemotherapy (n = 142) (P = 0.0052, HR (CI) = 3.80 (1.58, 9.97)). There was a trend toward increased risk of death with relatively high Mena[superscript calc] in the HER2, basal and luminal molecular subtypes. Conclusions Mena[superscript calc] may serve as an independent prognostic biomarker for the ANN breast cancer patient population.