Associations Between Aromatase Expression And Clinicopathologic Factors In Breast Cancer

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the aromatase gene expression and clinicopathologic factors in breast cancer.Methods: The expression level of aromatase mRNA was evaluated by using of quantitative real-time PCR in 50 cases of breast cancer and normal breast tissues. The ratio of tumor to normal tissue(T/N) of aromatase expression was then calculated for each case. Using median of aromatase mRNA level in breast cancer as cut-off point, the cases were categorized into high expression group and low expression group.Results: The T/N ratio of aromatase mRNA expression was significantly greater in the hormone receptors positive group than that in the negative group (P=0.031), in the group of patients older than 50 than that in younger than 50 (P=0.008), and in other pathologic types than that in invasive ductal carcinoma (P=0.000). No relationship was found between the T/N ratio and any other clinicopathologic factors, including P53 (P=0.790), tumor size (P=0.429), and axillary lymph node involvement (P=0.142).Conclusion: Significant correlation was found between the T/N ratio and status of hormone receptors, age and histopathology. However, no relationship was found between aromatase mRNA expression level and any other clinicopathologic factors, including tumor size, axillary lymph node involvement and P53. Both in older than 50 group and in hormone receptors positive group, exceptions with low aromatase expression level were found.