Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Expression in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Tissue Microarray Study in Ghana
Saved in:
| Title: | Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Expression in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Tissue Microarray Study in Ghana |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Duduyemi, Babatunde M., Ayibor, William G. |
| Source: | Annals of Tropical Pathology; Vol. 16 No. 1 (2025); 70-76 |
| Publisher Information: | Faculty of Pathology, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria., 2025. |
| Publication Year: | 2025 |
| Subject Terms: | Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase, Immunohistochemical Staining, Tissue Microarray |
| Description: | Background: Breast cancer is the commonest malignancy in women worldwide. Despite the advancement in breast therapy, the disease still remains the commonest malignancy in women globally. This is probably due in part to the heterogeneity of breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast disease that makes up 10 to 20% of all breast cancers with poorer outcomes compared to other breast cancer variants. There is currently no specific therapy approved for TNBC. ALK, a tyrosine receptor kinase that belongs to the insulin superfamily of receptors, has been identified to be an important signalling pathway receptor that is common in TNBCs. The study aims to assess the expression of ALK in 197 Ghanaian breast cancer patients with particular emphasis on TNBCs. Methods: Data on breast cancer was retrieved from the archives of the Pathology Unit, KNUST/KATH, and covered a period of 9 years (2009-2017), and the tissue microarray (TMA) blocks that were used for immunohistochemical staining for ER, PR, Her-2/neu were selected. Immunostaining staining for ALK was performed. Results were analysed using SPSS version 23 for descriptive statistics, cross tabulations and correlations (Fisher’s test). Results: TNBCs comprised 61.9% of the 197 breast cancer cases analysed. The majority of these tumours were grade III, invasive carcinoma NST. The mean age was 49.86±14.09 and the modal group was the 40-49 years. Our cohort showed 46.7% ALK expression in TNBC. There is no significant difference in the expression of ALK in low grade tumours (57.1%) compared to the high-grade ones (44.7%). Conclusion: Our analysis showed that ALK is expressed in about half of TNBCs studied. The expression in both high- and low-grade cancers is comparable although there is marginal increased expression in low grade ones. This marker can be explored further to better understand the biology of this group of breast cancers and a possible target for therapy. |
| Document Type: | Article |
| File Description: | application/pdf |
| Language: | English |
| ISSN: | 2251-0060 2635-3938 |
| Access URL: | https://www.ajol.info/index.php/atp/article/view/302459 |
| Rights: | CC BY NC SA |
| Accession Number: | edsair.78975075580c..2b0138da959205959aabcbbc5082833a |
| Database: | OpenAIRE |
Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | Background: Breast cancer is the commonest malignancy in women worldwide. Despite the advancement in breast therapy, the disease still remains the commonest malignancy in women globally. This is probably due in part to the heterogeneity of breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast disease that makes up 10 to 20% of all breast cancers with poorer outcomes compared to other breast cancer variants. There is currently no specific therapy approved for TNBC. ALK, a tyrosine receptor kinase that belongs to the insulin superfamily of receptors, has been identified to be an important signalling pathway receptor that is common in TNBCs. The study aims to assess the expression of ALK in 197 Ghanaian breast cancer patients with particular emphasis on TNBCs. Methods: Data on breast cancer was retrieved from the archives of the Pathology Unit, KNUST/KATH, and covered a period of 9 years (2009-2017), and the tissue microarray (TMA) blocks that were used for immunohistochemical staining for ER, PR, Her-2/neu were selected. Immunostaining staining for ALK was performed. Results were analysed using SPSS version 23 for descriptive statistics, cross tabulations and correlations (Fisher’s test). Results: TNBCs comprised 61.9% of the 197 breast cancer cases analysed. The majority of these tumours were grade III, invasive carcinoma NST. The mean age was 49.86±14.09 and the modal group was the 40-49 years. Our cohort showed 46.7% ALK expression in TNBC. There is no significant difference in the expression of ALK in low grade tumours (57.1%) compared to the high-grade ones (44.7%). Conclusion: Our analysis showed that ALK is expressed in about half of TNBCs studied. The expression in both high- and low-grade cancers is comparable although there is marginal increased expression in low grade ones. This marker can be explored further to better understand the biology of this group of breast cancers and a possible target for therapy. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 22510060 26353938 |