Combination of osteopontin and activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule as potent prognostic discriminators in HER2- and ER-negative breast cancer

Background: To analyse the discriminative impact of osteopontin (OPN) and activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM), combined with human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) and oestrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer. Methods: Osteopontin, ALCAM, HER2 and ER mRNA expression in breast cancer tissues of 481 patients were analysed (mRNA microarray analysis, kinetic RT–PCR). Hierarchical clustering was performed in training cohort A ( N =100, adjuvant treatment) and validation cohorts B ( N =200, no adjuvant treatment, low-risk) and C ( N =181, adjuvant treatment, high-risk). Results: Negative/low ER and HER2, high OPN and low ALCAM mRNA expression helped to identify patients at particularly high risk, showing shorter DFS, P