Loss of PTEN expression is associated with IGFBP2 expression, younger age, and late stage in triple-negative breast cancer

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between PTEN loss and IGFBP2 expression in a series of triple-negative breast cancers and to relate this expression to basal cytokeratin expression and clinicopathologic features.

METHODS: One hundred and one formalin-fixed and paraffin-processed triple-negative breast cancer cases from the University of Malaya Medical Centre were tested immunohistochemically for cytokeratins 5/6 and 14, PTEN, and IGFBP2. The resulting slides were scored for proportion and intensity of staining.

RESULTS: Loss of tumor nuclear and cytoplasmic staining for PTEN occurred in 48.3% of cases and was significantly associated with younger age at diagnosis (47 years compared with 57 years in those without PTEN loss; P = .005). Independent predictors of PTEN loss were late stage at presentation (P = .026), cytokeratin 5/6 positivity (P = .028), and IGFBP2 expression (P = .042). High levels of IGFBP2 expression were seen in 32% of cases; an independent predictor of high levels was cytokeratin 14 negativity (P = .005). PTEN loss and high levels of IGFBP2 expression were associated with poorer survival, but neither of these trends was significant.

CONCLUSIONS: PTEN loss is a frequent event in triple-negative breast cancers and is significantly associated with younger age at onset of breast cancer, late stage, and IGFBP2 expression.