Abstract
Simple SummaryConsidering the immense development of today’s therapeutic approaches in oncology towards customized therapy, this study aimed to assess the prognostic value of nuclear versus cytoplasmic retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) expression in breast cancer. Our results demonstrate that RXRα expression may have different roles in tumorigenesis according to its subcellular localization. This study strengthens the need for further research on the behavior of RXRα, depending on its intracellular localization.The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the prognostic value of cytoplasmic versus nuclear RXRα expression in breast cancer (BC) tissue samples and to correlate the results with clinicopathological parameters. In 319 BC patients, the expression of RXRα was evaluated via immunohistochemistry. Prognosis-determining aspects were calculated through uni- and multivariate analyses. Correlation analysis revealed a trend association with nuclear RXRα expression regarding an improved overall survival (OS) (p = 0.078), whereas cytoplasmic RXRα expression was significantly correlated with a poor outcomes in terms of both OS (p = 0.038) and disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.037). Strengthening these results, cytoplasmic RXRα was found to be an independent marker for DFS (p = 0.023), when adjusted to clinicopathological parameters, whereas nuclear RXRα expression was positively associated with lower TNM-staging, i.e., pT (p = 0.01), pN (p = 0.029) and pM (p = 0.001). Additionally, cytoplasmic RXRα expression was positively associated with a higher histopathological tumor grading (p = 0.02). Cytoplasmic RXRα was also found to be a negative prognosticator for Her-2neu-negative and triple-negative patients. Altogether, these findings support the hypothesis that the subcellular localization of RXRα plays an important role in carcinogenesis and the prognosis of BC. The expression of cytoplasmic RXRα is correlated with a more aggressive course of the disease, whereas nuclear RXRα expression appears to be a protective factor. These data may help to identify high-risk BC subgroups in order to find possible specific options in targeted tumor therapy.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
