Oestrogen Receptor Pathway Activity is Associated with Outcome in Endometrial Cancer

Overview

Journal Br J Cancer

Specialty Oncology

Date 2020 Jun 9

PMID 32507853

Citations 16

Authors

Willem Jan Van Weelden

Louis J M van der Putten

Marcia A Inda

Anne van Brussel

Marc P L M Snijders

Lisanne M M Schriever

Johan Bulten

Leon F A G Massuger

Anja van de Stolpe

Johanna M A Pijnenborg

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Oestrogen receptor (ER) expression is a prognostic biomarker in endometrial cancer (EC). However, expression does not provide information about the functional activity of the ER pathway. We evaluated a model to quantify ER pathway activity in EC, and determined the prognostic relevance of ER pathway activity.

Methods: ER pathway activity was measured in two publicly available datasets with endometrial and EC tissue, and one clinical cohort with 107 samples from proliferative and hyperplastic endometrium and endometrioid-type EC (EEC) and uterine serous cancer (USC). ER pathway activity scores were inferred from ER target gene mRNA levels from Affymetrix microarray data (public datasets), or measured by qPCR on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples (clinical cohort) and related to ER expression and outcome.

Results: ER pathway activity scores differed significantly throughout the menstrual cycle supporting the validity of the pathway test. The highest ER pathway scores were found in proliferative and hyperplastic endometrium and stage I EEC, whereas stage II-IV EEC and USCs had significantly lower levels. Low ER pathway activity was associated with recurrent disease, and added prognostic value in patients with low ER expression.

Conclusion: The ER pathway test reflects activity of the ER pathway, and may improve prediction of outcome in EC patients.

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