ERβ overexpression results in endocrine therapy resistance and poor prognosis in postmenopausal ERα-positive breast cancer patients

Guo,Liying; Zhang,Yu; Yilamu,Dilimina; Liu,Sha; Guo,Chenming

doi:10.3892/ol.2016.4095

ERβ overexpression results in endocrine therapy resistance and poor prognosis in postmenopausal ERα-positive breast cancer patients

Authors:
- Liying Guo
- Yu Zhang
- Dilimina Yilamu
- Sha Liu
- Chenming Guo
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Affiliations: Department of Breast Cancer, Digestive and Vascular Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China, Department of General Surgery, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264100, P.R. China
Published online on: January 8, 2016 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4095
Pages: 1531-1536

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of estrogen receptor (ER) β in the prognosis of ERα‑positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and its effect on the efficacy of endocrine therapy. Tissue specimens from 195 patients with postmenopausal breast cancer were analyzed. ERβ expression levels were detected using immunohistochemical staining. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to assess patient survival, and the difference in survival was analyzed using the log‑rank test. Cox regression was utilized to evaluate prognostic factors. The results revealed that the disease‑free survival rate decreased dramatically as ERβ expression levels increased in all postmenopausal ERα‑positive breast cancer patients, and ERβ expression was identified to be an indicator of poor prognosis in cases of this disease. Similarly, in postmenopausal ERα‑positive breast cancer patients undergoing endocrine therapy, high ERβ expression levels reduced the disease‑free survival rate and were correlated with poor patient prognosis. However, in such patients who were not treated with endocrine therapy, disease‑free survival rate and prognosis were not significantly affected by ERβ expression. In conclusion, ERβ overexpression led to endocrine therapy resistance and poor prognosis in postmenopausal ERα‑positive breast cancer patients, suggesting that ERβ may affect breast cancer prognosis via an increase in endocrine therapy resistance.

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